Bruised but not Destroyed
by sterek-issue
Summary: Zero is being abused because of what he is, but someone opens their arms to him and helps him get through slowly but surely. NOT RAPE. KanameXZero
1. Who are you?

**A/N: I wanted to try something a little new but don't fret, it's not all out of this world and if no one likes it then I will just delete it and get on with my life. Instead of doing **_**Two separate **_**paths I'm going to do this after I get done with **_**For the love of Rose. **_**IMPORTANT: The characters are **_**slightly **_**out of character but I don't think it's nothing too big…or maybe it is big deal. **

**WARNING: This story is a BL and I'm sure everyone knows what that mean. This is a relationship between KanamXZero. If you do not like that then please leave or give it a try if you like.**

**SUMAARY: Zero is being abused because of what he is, but someone opens their arms to him and helps him get through slowly but surely. **

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Vampire knight **

**CHAPTER: Who are you?**

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Kiryu Zero, Senior at Kross Academy, was mostly known for his intelligence and patience. He wasn't popular and kept to himself. No one really knew Zero but they have heard rumors, some unpleasant and some sad. Everyone kept away from him, unsure if the rumors were true or not. Zero didn't mind though, he had gotten used to it.

Zero opened his locker and retrieved his necessary supplies to start his day that included pencils, notebooks, pens etc and piled them into his firm, well-built arms. The first day of the school year was always rough but know that he was senior, he didn't really mind.

He closed the locker firmly and pulled his tie looser. He hated the fact that they had to wear uniform. He never tucked in his shirt or properly did his tie. He walked down the hall at a normal pace; Some stared for a while and some just plain ignored him-He was grateful for that. He reached his classroom and briskly walked inside. Many did find Zero attractive, he was voted to be most successful and most admirable but still people kept their distance.

Stepping further into his first class of the day, he glanced at the teacher who was lounging behind the desk, chewing on the end of an unsharpened pencil. Some students spared Zero a glace before dropping their gaze and chatted to their friends beside them.

Zero sighed and sat at the desk close to the window. He didn't have any friends, never _really _did. He had nothing in common with the _normal_ students. It wasn't that he didn't want to mingle with society it was just that he was _forbidden _to do so. Zero turned his gaze to the window and looked outside. He enjoyed looking out the windows, that's why he always picked window seats. This was probable the only thing he had in common with the student's here. Zero wasn't always the way he was but he wasn't ever friendly either.

More students piled in just as the bell rung. The teacher stood up from his seat and wrote his name on the black board, coughing occasionally.

"Welcome to your senior history class." The chubby teacher announced as he underlined his name in a thick layer of white chalk. Zero turned all his attention to the teacher and straightened up a little. "_Father says it's important to make a first good impression_." Zero reminded himself.

"I will be your teacher of course. Everyone stand and introduce yourself so the class and I can get to know you better." Everyone stood. Zero was the last to stand on his feet so the teacher began. Great just what Zero loved…speaking.

**************

Zero shoved his books in his locker and took out a single book that he loved to read. He closed his locker and went down the stairs to lunch. He had been to every class and received papers that need to be signed and a couple of homework assignments, one class left after lunch. Zero didn't have any money on him so he walked through the cafeteria door and headed outside. He wasn't poor, far from it. Kross Academy was a school for the rich and successful-meaning, if your parents are rich and successful then welcome to Kross Academy.

Zero sat on a bench under the tall, pink sakura tree. The flowers fell silently to the ground as the august breeze picked them up into the air, flying them gently. Zero found peace in this spot and away from the other students. He opened his book and began to read to himself, often making hand signals. His silver hair blew gently in the wind as it tussled about on his head. The piercings on his ears shimmer off the reflecting sun. In words, Zero looked beautiful.

He read the book many times but he never lost interest in it. It wasn't an actual book it was more of a learning book. Zero lounged on the bench and put his feet up with his back pressed on the side of the bench. This was his only moment of peace and he enjoyed every moment of it. He flipped through paged stopping occasionally to make a hand sign, Yes, this was nice.

-

-

_

"These seniors are so childish." Kuran Kaname erased his black board that was littered with a conversation of curse words, not directed at him but to each other. He was a new teacher at Kross Academy. He didn't really need to work because his father was loaded, he was a pureblood. Kaname wanted to prove himself to his father, that he could move out and make a living on his own. His father protested strongly and scolded him about how purebloods needed to stay together as if they were a pack of wolves. Eventually Kaname got his way and set off to make a living of his own, followed by a few noble's who currently lived with him at his house father had bought for him as a start off.

Kaname put the eraser down and clapped his hands together. Working in a school that had no clue about vampires didn't sound too hard. He picked up his brief case and made his way to the lunch room. He wasn't really hungry during the day but he stopped to buy a bottle of water and walked out the cafeteria door to sit under a tree and relax. He wore a long, black cloak that stopped at his ankles and blew in the wind slightly as he walked. He received a couple of admirable gazes from the students scattered outside, eating at the tables. He ignored them, however, and continued his search for a spot away from the humans.

-

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_

Zero turned another page and stared at the pictures intensely, he could never get this one right. He brought his knees up closer to his body and laid the book on his thighs. He tried to form the signals with his hands but knew he was doing something wrong.

"Is that a book of sign language?" Zero looked up to the voice in alarm.

That voice. He clutched the book tighter as he felt _something,_ this man standing in front of him made him feel uncomfortable. His voice naturally demanded obedience, it screamed alpha of the pack. He was not like the others at his school, his aura didn't say _human_. Never less, Zero nodded once and slowed down his alarmed heart.

"Yes." He whispered shyly. Zero wasn't shy but he wasn't enthusiastic either.

"Do you mind if I join you?" Kaname pointed to the spot were Zero's feet occupied the bench. Zero shook his head and immediately removed his feet. "_Father says it's important to be polite." _Zero straightened up and smiled politely at the brunette. When Kaname sat down next to him Zero looked over and that was the first time he really saw the man, the male with Medium wavy dark chocolate hair, well-built frame, a captivating smile, worm brown-red eyes. The way the man carried himself must be illegal. _"Very male." _

"I can show you how to fix your error." Zero looked back up at the man sitting next to him, not realizing he lowered his gaze to the man's defined chest, broad shoulders and…No! Zero took a deep breath and... "_Oh Kami he smells delicious!"_ Kaname watched with amusement, he knew the student was a level D just by looking at him. He didn't think there would be any other vampires at this school.

Kaname had watched him for a while as the beautiful silver haired male lounged on the bench with the wind blowing his hair gently as the flowers fell from the tree. Kaname had never seen such a beautiful creature in his entire life; he realized that the boy wasn't with anyone which Kaname found to be odd for a moment. Maybe he just needed peace and quiet for a little while? Kaname walked closer and discovered what the boy was doing with his fingers. Action Sign language is what Kaname referred to it as; it was tricky and took a while to get. He saw the boy's error and decided to step in-making his presence known.

"I can show you how to fix your error." Kaname tried again seeing as the boy seemed distracted. Warmth crept up into Zero face from embarrassment.

"Y…you know sign language?" Zero asked. He couldn't believe he was ogling the other male and got caught.

"Yes. Let me show you have to perform that one." Kaname gestured to the one Zero was trying to do earlier. He brought his graceful hands up and made the correct symbols. True, alphabet sign language was easy but action sign language was a lot more fun. Zero watched in amassment. It looked so easy when he did it.

"You make it look easy."Zero stated while shaking his head. Kaname seemed to be thinking for a while and scooter closer to the other male on the bench.

"Your hands start off like this right," Kaname turned the boy to face the other way and reached around him with his right hand to scoop up the other boy's right hand and used his left to grab the boy's other hand- basically hugging him from the back. Zero let out a startled gasp as he was hauled into the strangers oh so warm, so farm chest. Kaname held out their hands and mad the symbols. Zero tried to get over the sudden movement and let Kaname control his hands as he tried his best to not seem vulnerable since he knew some of it. He kept up as best as he could though.

"Very good." Kaname said distractedly next to the boy's ear. Zero bit his lip repressing a shiver. The part that Zero always messed up on finally came and he gulped nervously, he made the 'c' shape and did the circular motion with his other hand then quickly dove for the kill. It was over before both of them knew it.

Zero couldn't believe it. He had done it and it actually seemed easy now. Zero tried it again alone as Kaname watched closely.

"_You are the most beautiful person I have ever laid my eyes on. I would really like to get to know you better?"_ Zero acted out with his hands as a pink hue appeared on his cheeks. That was ironic. Kaname chuckled, sending vibrations through Zero's back. Zero bit his lower lip again; he realized he liked that feeling.

"_I didn't think you were so forward." _It was obviously a joked even though Kaname only performed it out and didn't move his lips.

They both chuckled at that and Kaname shook his head to himself. He was hanging out with a level D and wrapping him in his arms as if they were lovers.

"My name is Kuran Kaname by the way." Kaname said as he released Zero. They sat correctly on the bench and smiled at each other kindly.

"I'm Kiyru Zero." They shook hands in greeting. Zero never seen the other male before, he must be new.

"I take it you're a student here, what year?" Kaname asked curiously.

"Senior. Are you a senior as well?" Zero closed the book that rested in his lap. Kaname chuckled and shook his head.

"I teach here." Kaname said proudly. There was silence for a while as Zero raised a doubtful eyebrow.

"Seriously? You look like you're only eighteen or nineteen." Zero cornered. Kaname chuckled again. He didn't expect the other male to believe him. Kaname couldn't help but think that the boys reactions and expressions were both beautiful and something that made you want to smile all day.

"I'm nineteen actually. I already graduated college and scored high on every exam receiving my diploma and here I am." Kaname left out precious details of course.

"I'll believe it when I see it." Zero said stubbornly. Kaname had nothing to be worried about. He nodded his head in agreement.

"I'm sure you'll be finding out pretty soon." The bell suddenly rang signaling the end of lunch. They both got up to leave and walked back into the building together before parting ways.

**********************

Zero closed his locker after getting the last materials for the day. His last class was upstairs so it was a good thing his locker was a couple of doors down. He entered the class and noticed he was the first one to arrive. _"Damn it." _He did like to choose a seat first but he still didn't like coming in before everyone else.

Zero walked to the seat by the window and put his book down. He finally glanced up at the front of the room to see no one but Kuran Kaname.

"You're only standing up there because you won't to prove me wrong." Zero accused as he walked back up to the other smirking male.

"I assure you this is my last class of the day to _teach_." Kaname smiled. He felt playful around the silver haired male.

"Oh really, you teach anatomy?" Zero asked skeptically. Kaname nodded his head proudly.

"That is correct." Kaname said coolly. Other students began to fill in. Some student's stopped as they watched Zero socialize with another person, even if it was the teacher it was still a remarkable sight.

After failing to prove that Kaname was lying, Zero took his seat and stared at the brunette with his head in his palm. Any minute now the real teacher would come in and scold Kaname. But no such thing happened as the bell rang. Kaname stood and winked at Zero whom scoffed and looked away.

"I will be your Anatomy teacher for now on, please call me Kuran sensai." Kaname liked the sound of that.

"You're really our teacher?" A girl in the back asked. Kaname looked at her and gave her dashing smile.

"Yes, I am." The girl felt her heart melt as the devilish teacher smiled at her. A couple of her friends sent an envious look her way. Why was she the fist to get that beautiful smile from the hot sensai! Kaname walked to the front of his desk and leaned on the front in a beautiful pose. Zero looked at Kaname and felt himself being drawn in. Kaname caught Zero's stare and winked once more, He knew that blush would come across that beautiful face. Kaname smiled in triumph when it did.

"Okay now, let's start over here and go across the front row and everyone introduce yourself." Zero watched as everyone told Kaname there name and one thing about themselves. Kaname nodded absentminded as he watched Zero watch everyone else.

"My name is Sayori and I like to read." She shyly stated as she fidgeted with the hem of her skirt. Kaname nodded thanking her. Zero knew it was his turn now. God how he hated talking, never less he stood and took a breath. Zero's voice send shivers down everyone's spin even Kaname's but in the most pleasurable way. Kaname watched Zero intensely.

"Well then _Kiryu Zero, _Tell us one thing about you." Kaname practically purred his name. Zero looked down for a moment. He didn't want to let anyone know much about him, even if it wasn't important. He decided to just tell them what he had been telling everyone all day.

"I don't like to talk." He growled lowly. Zero could see the boy on his other side flinch slightly. For Kaname however, he felt an ache in his lower region. _"How could the boy have such an effect on me already?"_ Kaname wondered to himself. He walked back behind his desk and motioned for a girl to pass out the stack of paper. She gratefully took the papers from Kaname's hands, letting her fingers graze the sensei's before going about to pass them out.

Every time Zero would look up, Kaname was looking right at him; it was distracting and made him uncomfortable under his headed gaze. He tried to pay attention to the paper instead.

The bell rung too soon for Zero's liking. Kaname could hear Zero's heart rate increase after the bell, making his eyebrow rise in concern. Everyone gathered their things and ran out the class. Zero was in a fit of panic as he tried to grab his book and dropped it and random papers spilled. Kaname hurried to Zero and helped pick up the papers. Zero didn't even seem to notice as he glanced at the clock after ever two seconds. Kaname noticed this and his brows pulled together.

"Zero, are you alright?" He was suddenly wondering if Zero was going into blood lust or something. Zero nodded his head and looked up at the clock again. He finished picking up his papers and Kaname handed him the rest. Zero murmured his thanks and stuffed them all back into his book.

"Zero do you know what these are?" Kaname took a pill out of his pocket at held it up to eye level, Zero eyes widen a fraction…No! He flinched at the sight of the pills and a tremor ran down his body. He was afraid of the pills.

"I have to go Kuran." Zero scrambled to his feet and bolted out the door a little faster than a human could. He threw open his locker and groaned when he noticed the halls were almost empty. He stuffed books and folders into his bag and slammed his locker closed. He hurried down the stair with panic written all over his face.

Kaname watched all this with great concern. Why did he flinch when he saw the pills? Kaname walked back inside the class room and grabbed his briefcase locking the door behind him. He felt like using his powers so he transported himself to his care with a smirk on his face. He began to open his black Mercedes guardian when he heard a familiar voice. He tapped into his sensitive hearing and gasped slightly.

"I'm sorry I was late father, please forgive me I… (slap)…."

"Don't you _ever _be late again _vampire!" _The car screeched away but Kaname heard the soft apology fall from Zero's lips.

"I'm sorry father."

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**I was reading a story about an abusive father and that's what inspired this. ^^**

**Please review even though this won't continue until i'm done with my previous story. TELL ME IF YOU LIKE IT **_**PLEASE. **_

**^stallion14^**


	2. Its important not to disobey

**A/N: Thank you for supporting my story and I am having a great time writing theses stories for you ^^ **

**IMPORTANT: No RAPE will EVER happen in my story (I don't like rape :( thought you should know that)**

**WARNING: This story is a BL with adult themes and slight language; if this repulses you then maybe you shouldn't have come here. **

**SUMARRY: The pills! No anything but that. Zero knows his father's still loves him deep down but the pills are too much. Though, Father says it's important not to disobey. **

**CHAPTER: Father says it's important not to disobey**

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Zero walked slowly down the long halls of the rich school. Luckily there wasn't a lot of students their so early in the morning, he hoped no one noticed his slight limping. He pushed open the bathroom door and limped inside, after checking to make sure he was the only one inside he locked the door quickly and finally let out a moan of pain. He slowly and carefully undid his shirt and pulled it off his shoulders wincing unbearable. He reached into his pocket to retrieve a topical ointment containing arnica. His hissed when it mad contact with his bruised skin, he wasn't able to do it before he left because he always had a certain time he had to leave the house in the morning-father said so.

_"For now on you are only allowed to leave the house when I say so!" Those harsh words were followed by a hard slap to the face. Zero fell to the floor gritting his teeth._

_"Do you like making me look bad vampire?!" His father stormed over to his fallen form and yanked him up by the collar. The man held the submissive boy in his strong grip and pulled his hand back then connected it quickly to the said boys face._

_"I want you out of my house an hour before school starts!" After slapping Zero hard enough to leave a bruise, he told him once again to never be late._

Zero looked at his face in the mirror. The angry blue print on his otherwise flawless face was very noticeable. He rubbed a small amount of the ointment on his left cheek and sighed. This stuff was only made to heal the bruises over time, not cover them up. Zero had thought about using concealer to cover the signs of abuse but decided against it.

He walked out of the bathroom just in time to make it to his first class of the day.

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Before lunch Zero had applied more ointment to his bruises after gym class, running around the track had sweated some of the medicine off. Some students gave his lingering looks in the hallways and classroom because of the obvious hand print on his cheek. He had tried his best to cover it with his hair or painfully rested his palm on his abused cheek while in class but that seemed to have failed. Though, he knew no one would comment on it.

Zero mad his way to the same bench as the other day with his favorite book. He didn't have any money again so he didn't bother sitting in the cafeteria. The bench under the sakura tree was kind of far off from the school building, the path was just grass and random flowers here and there but it wasn't too far. His walking slowed and eventually came to a stop when he noticed his sensai was sitting on his bench _again. _Zero scolded and looked around for another place to sit instead.

"Mr. Kiryu, may I have a word with you?" Kaname's face had a serious expression, almost angry. Zero stopped his search for another place to sit, he looked at his teacher for a while; Kuran sensai was a nice teacher and he was basically his superior. Zero nodded shyly and walked up to the bench and took the vacant seat. His teacher really made him nervous for some reason.

"You must think I'm strange for running off like that. Someone was waiting for me and I didn't want to keep them waiting." Kaname watched Zero and he felt his blood overheating, that obvious bruise on his cheek really angered Kaname.

"No, I understand how that can be. May I ask you a couple of questions?" Zero sat the book in his lap and fidgeted with the binding. Kaname noticed how the boy was close to the edge of the bench seeming nervous.

"I don't mind, Kuran sensai." Zero found it a little odd to call a boy who was around the same age as him sensai. Kaname watched Zero and was almost saddened at how vulnerable he looked; it made him want to protect him in a possessive way.

"Is your father a stressed man?" Kaname lounged more comfortable on the bench, eyes never leaving Zero.

"Yes, he currently has two jobs that he's trying to keep up with." Zero answered smoothly but curious as to where this was going.

"What are those two jobs if I may ask?"

"He's works as a Kuwait Corporate Lawyer or KCCI, one of the best in all of Japan. His second job is his most important job and favorite," Zero laughed bitterly. "He's a vampire hunter." Kaname gasped lowly as his eyebrows pulled together.

"I don't understand… you're a vampire correct?" Kaname did understand, he understood that the man disliked his child strongly for being a vampire and he showed his angry by physical hurting the poor soul.

"Correct." Zero started to see were this was leading. He clenched his forgotten book and tried to steady his breathing.

"What about you mother?" Kaname asked too quickly, he hoped they weren't ganging up on him. God, he knew what he would do to them if they were.

"Dead," Zero whispered and looked down at the book. "She was death but she taught me sign language so we could communicate better, I began to get use to not speaking." Zero shakily smiled. "She was a good mother and I loved her very much…still do and always will." Zero looked up at Kaname-eyes glistening from moisture.

"I'm sorry." Kaname's voice was filled with grief, anger, and sadness. "She sounded like a great mother too."

"Thank you." Zero knew what was coming next but he couldn't tell Kaname, it would give away too much-not like he probable wasn't already guessing what kind of relationship him and his father had.

"How did she die?" Kaname asked gently.

"C-Car crash." Zero lied quickly. Kaname raised an eyebrow, it was obvious it was a lie but Kaname decided not to push any further on the topic.

"Last question, does your father always come pick you up after school?" Zero looked surprised with shock written all over his face, Kaname had seen him at his father's car? Never less, Zero nodded.

"Except when I tell him I'm staying after for extra study then I would walk home after that." Zero was glad to be off the topic of his mother. Kaname looked straight into the beautiful lavender eyes and sighed.

"He's the one that hit you isn't he?" The abrupt question quickly had Zero off the bench in a retreating notion.

"N-No one hits me…my father would never do anything like that!" Zero protested with sudden tears streaking down his face. He began to back up slightly but Kaname was up on his feet and snatched the retreating boy by the wrist. He pulled Zero to him and brought his free hand up to cup the boys chin so that he could turn his face to the side.

"Don't lie to me when the evidence is so obvious." Kaname nearly growled. Zero squirmed in his tight hold as more tears began to fall.

"I fell!" Zero sobbed miserable, knowing his sensai wouldn't believe him.

"Onto his fist?!" They weren't really yelling, more like growling with raised voices. Zero flinched at the dark and pissed off aura.

"I said I fell!" Zero yanked his arm and chin away from the man's hold and ran off, back to the school building. . Kaname stared after him and sighed, did he take it too far? He reached down and picked up the book the boy didn't realize he dropped, he caressed the old cover. He had learned sign language because he thought it was interesting and something to pass the time but Zero had a purpose and _oh, _what a special purpose it was. Since the bell didn't ring yet, Kaname decided to take a blood tablet with the bottle of water he had purchased earlier. _"I'm sorry Kiyru Zero but your life has just become an interest of mine and I am determined to bring that man to justice."_

*********************

Zero had hid in an empty classroom waiting for the bell to ring. He hesitantly walked into his final class-Anatomy. He ignored the stare he got from his teacher and briskly walked to his desk by the window. He palmed his bruised cheek and turned his face to stare absently out the window.

He was thankful that more students began to pile in, chattering loudly with their companions. Zero rubbed his bruise briefly before sighing. His father was just confused; Zero knew he didn't mean to hurt him. His father wasn't always like this and Zero believed he was a good man. Turning his attention away from the window Zero looked up to the front of the room and his eyes locked with his teachers wanting stare. That confused Zero, his sensai looked like he was angry but at the same time he looked like he was longing. Braking eye contact as the bell rung, Zero glanced back out the window. Kaname stood up to start his first real lesson of the school year. Zero reluctantly had to look up to write things down.

Everything after that proceeded as normal with Kuran sensai teaching, girls throwing him sexual looks, guys getting envious and Kaname giving that devilish smile. Kaname didn't look at Zero anymore through the class period; he figured he made the boy nervous enough and angry for the day. Zero glanced at the clock and noticed that it was almost time for the final bell to ring; he began gathering his things gaining Kaname's attention. The young sensai looked at the clock and decided to dismiss the class almost a full minute early, Zero left with the parade of excited students and didn't look back. Kaname almost lost his control from seeing the petrified expression on the young silver haired beauty face. He leaned against his desk and tapped the pencil on his thigh. He hoped Zero would be alright tonight.

Zero was glad to be early this time and when his dads 2009 Mitsubishi Endeavor pulled up next to him, he could see the approval look on his father's face. _"Maybe father won't be angry today."_ Zero quickly opened the door and climbed inside.

"Hello father. How did the case go?" Zero tried to act excited to see his father. Over the years Zero realized that making conversation when his dad was approval of him was a good thing.

"We won the trail of course. This case was too easy and not only did we win but he also got custody of his kids." Zero listened as his dad bragged on and on and nodded when it was the right time for him to do so.

After sixteen- minutes of driving, they pulled up to his father's large estate. The pulled up next to the large fountain with the gold, statue crest of the Kiryu clan inside of it. The mansion had only four maids and one butler.

"See you at dinner father." Zero got a nod in response, taking that as his cue the leave, he got out of the car and close the door gentle behind him. He remembered accidently slamming his father's car door, his father gave him a beaten right outside on the gravel that he would never forget. He visible shivered and tried to compose himself a she stepped into his so-called-home.

During dinner they eat silently at the ridiculously long table, Zero sat at one end while his father sat on the other end. Soon the two maids entered and cleared away their table when they got done eating. Zero stood to take his leave but his father stayed and poured himself a glass of whisky. Zero sighed, he hated when his dad started drinking because then he would become emotionally unstable and then…

Zero absently heard his father's phone ringing as he walked to the doorway to go upstairs.

"You did what?! You were right on that bloodsuckers heals, how the hell did it escape?!" Zero gulped as he walked more quickly and out of his dad's sight. He stopped on the stairs and decided to listen a little longer. "I don't give a fuck how you do it just get the job done....That's inexcusable! I should go down there and kill you myself…fine….fine then get to it." Zero listened on the stairs as his father cursed loudly and stormed about, To Zero's fear he heard the clicking of glass as his father poured himself another glass of whisky. _"Oh God." _Zero turned and headed up the long stares as quickly as possible.

"Vampire! Get your ass down here now! I want you to wash these dam dishes!" Zero was almost on the last stepped when his father's angry cry roared in his ears. He bolded his fist and turned to walked back down the stairs not even bothering to take his sweet time. He walked to the kitchen while rolling up his sleeves. The maids in charge of the dishes gave Zero an "I'm sorry" Look. He shook his head at here making her smile a little before retreating.

He washed the dishes as quickly as he could while still doing a good job. It was ten minutes later when Zero was done and was about to head upstairs to escape his father but by then he was very drunk. He creped silently in the hallway next to the living room where his father had decided to go in his absence.

"Get …in here vampire. Lets…talk for…for a sec" His father demanded lazily, voice dripping with alcohol. Zero bit his lip and obediently entered the living room. His father was by the fire place looking into it with his back facing Zero. Sighing quietly when his father motioned him over, Zero walked further into the room and stood behind the man. Zero's father turned around and smiled groggily at his son before speaking.

"Can you believe it? It got away. It fucking got away!" His hand reached out and connected to Zero's same bruised cheek. The force of the slap made Zero back up a little. His father hated losing his pray. "You vampires love embarrassing me don't you?!" This time he bunched Zero in the face making him fall down. Tears of anger started to fall down Zero's face silently. "Why did you have to become a monster? I hate you for that!" His dad yelled and began stomping Zero in the stomach, he heaved for breath- feeling the air being knocked out of him. His father finally stopped his actions and kneeled down beside the fallen figure and grabbed Zero by the throat and slapped him hard across the face again and again. Zero was struggling to breathe properly as his father delivered blows after blows. The man began to sop incoherent words then finally stopped. He stood up and looked down at Zero in disgust before kicking him in the sides. Zero gasped in pain and tried to curl up into a ball but his father kicked him back to his normal position. "Ask me to stop! Beg for it!" His father delivered another powerful kick.

"Please stop father, please!" Zero cried out as his father stomped him again.

"No, what are you suppose to call me? Say it!" His father demanded.

"_Please_," Zero sobbed. "Please my lord." His father looked at him in satisfaction and with one last kick and a grunt from Zero; he wobbled out of the room. Zero laid there, unable to move much and if he did the pain was intense. He reached down to feel his ribs and was grateful none was broken but his inside felt crushed. He opted to lying there a little longer before painfully, slowly making his way up the grand staircase.

*********************

The following morning was a struggle for Zero. He painfully crawled out of bed and struggled to stay on his feet. His muscles felt sore and stiff, he didn't even put a shirt on last night because it took a lot of energy out of his to take his school uniform off.

He examined his bruised body in his bathroom mirror and gimmicked, the bruises were ugly and an angry blue. His face was better than he expected but still, new bruises were there but not as obvious as the hand print on his cheek. He took the extra and slightly larger container of ointment that was on the bathroom counter and applied it to all his purple and blue-ish marks while wincing.

His dad didn't have to leave until later so he sent one of the maids to kicked Zero out after the boy was dressed. Zero was sure his father didn't want to see the damages he did last night.

School was unbearable, he pulled his bangs more into his face in order to hid some of the smaller bruises but he still got looks form others. He tried not to hunch while he walked in order to keep his aching spin straight, luckily he succeeded in doing that. Zero opened his locker and replace materials with others. He closed his locker and was about to go to class but a boy in his year stared at him for a while. Zero gave him a glare that said "Do you have a death wish or something?" The boy cringed and rushed to catch up with his friends.

Zero heard of the guy before, he was the star of the high- jump team but Zero didn't actually remember his name. He decided to hurry to class before he was late. _"Father said never to be late."_

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**_**

Zero cursed under his breath. P.E was the class he feared all day. He didn't know if his body was up for it today. Zero's whole body ached painfully and it was hard not to walk without wincing or grimacing in pain. After talking to the gym teacher and lying saying that he was in an accident yesterday, the teacher took sympathy on him and allowed him to sit out for the today plus he didn't have to change clothes. As everyone jogged around the gym for warm up some of their eyes lingered on Zero and some just ignored him. He glared at every last one of them making then look away in fear. He knew he was unapproachable but it was for the best…he wasn't allowed friends.

After gym class he took his time getting to lunch after applying more ointment on his bruises. He was happy that his Anatomy sensai wasn't there today because he didn't know if he would just brake down and tell him everything. He didn't know what happen to his book so he didn't have anything to do so he decided to just relax his body on the bench. He'd go to the school library after school ended in order to find a new book on sign language.

Zero relaxed and closed his eyes listening to the soft hum of the cicadas in the trees and the slight breeze felt nice in the August heat. This was the only time he had peace, this was his place to escape the real world. He was feeling hungry for blood but his father did allow him to drink the leaking blood from the raw ground beef and Zero was grateful for that even though it tasted awful.

As soon as the bell rung for lunch to end, he went to the office to use the phone. He wasn't allowed a cell phone so he called his dad and told him he needed to stay after school for extra study and that he would walk home. His dad grunted an okay before hanging up. Zero made sure to ask for a pass to class because the bell had already rung for classes to begin.

After going to his locker, Zero walked to class slowly and put the pass on the desk without looking at his teacher. There was an uncomfortable silence as Zero had caught every ones attention. It was a sight to behold; Zero was never late or missed a day no matter what. Some had concern expression's while other glanced at him occasionally.

"Okay class focused on the lesson." Kaname tried to ease Zero's uncomfortable manner, even if it wasn't visible Kaname could tell. The rest of the class proceeded to be awkward, Zero wondered if his teacher got the hint and finally decided to leave him alone. He looked up from the window and wrote down notes-not noticing his teacher's heated stare.

Kaname was really concerned and he desperately wanted to help the boy but he needed a confession first, he needed Zero to admit that he was being abused. Only Kaname's eyes were able to see the slight limp in Zero's step and small bruises under his bangs.

"Kuran Sensai, I don't understand." The girl whined. Kaname stopped his teacher to asked the girl what she wasn't comprehending.

"What's plant antomany?" The girl sighed in frustration. Zero began to wonder how she got into a high senior level of science.

"Plant _Anatomy_ or phytotomy is the general term for the study of the internal structure of plants. While originally it included plant morphology, which is the description of the physical form and external structure of plants, since the mid Twentieth Century the investigation of plant anatomy is considered a separate, distinct field, and refers to just the internal plant structures. Plant anatomy is now frequently investigated at the cellular level, and often involves the sectioning of tissues and microscopy." Kaname explained to the girl with short dark -brown hair.

"Oh, okay." The girl looked dazed and everyone knew she still didn't understand. Kaname sighed and preceded teaching. Sadly, he knew the girl was going to fail his class- "_Kross Yuk was it?"_

Soon the bell rung and everyone filled out. Kaname noticed how Zero wasn't in a rush today. He needed to corner him and get him to confess.

**-**

**-**

**_**

Zero skimmed the book shelves as he walked down the aisle inside the school library. He briefly looked around and noticed that only a study group sat at a round table in the center of the library. The library was set up so that it was two levels, the upstairs could clearly been seen from downstairs because theirs was no wall blocking it off. A raw of circular tables lined against the railing upstairs and the bookshelves stood tall in the background. Zero wondered up the steps and began searching the signs above each isle for the right section.

After finding the right section located in language, Zero set out to finding the sign language books. He looked up and saw the tag with the word sign language on it.

_Great _

Zero wasn't short but this was a tall shelf. He was reaching up to the top shelf to get it, but winced and curled a little into himself from the stab of pain from his bruised ribs.

"Is it this blue book?" Zero quickly tried to straighten up and turned around. Kaname braced his hands against the bookshelf on either side of Zero's head and leaned down slightly. Kaname wasn't that much taller than Zero but the height difference was pretty sure. Zero leaned back against the shelf a little as Kaname leaned into him more. _"His scent smell…wonderful." _Both men found themselves thinking.

"I'm guessing your father wasn't too happy with you last night. Did he beat you?" Kaname was direct and stared intensely into the other mans unique eyes with a serious pissed off expression. Zero's eyes widen a fraction as he began to realize he was being cornered.

"No…I told you already, my father is good to me." Zero said weakly as Kaname shook his head.

"He gets mad at you because you're a monster and he blame's you for being turned into an ex-human. You were supposed to be beside him as famous vampire hunters but know you can't so he hits you. He slaps you multiple times until he decides it's not enough then he uses his fist," A single tear ran down Zero's cheek as he listened to Kaname's words. "Then when you're down he kicks you. Am I right?" Kaname thought hard on this.

"Yes." Zero whispered miserable. Zero looked away, he didn't want to cry in front of his teacher. Zero felt Kaname pull away then gentle arms wrapped around him, pulling him into an embrace and without hesitation Zero buried his face in Kaname's neck and cried. He cried for the first time in a long time like this. Kaname gently-to not hurt him- rubbed soothing circle on the boys quivering back.

"Shh, its okay, I'm sorry I forced you to tell me." Kaname was happy he got a confession but he felt bad for making Zero break down. He could feel Zero shack his head and the hot wetness on his neck but he didn't mind. Hearing Zero cry almost made him want to cry as well. Zero tried to muffle his sobs as he clutched the man's shoulder. He couldn't believe the man got him to confess, Zero never told anyone and in just a few days he told his teacher. Maybe it was because he trusted Kaname or because he felt most comfortable around him? Zero didn't know and at the moment he didn't care because he found himself liking his sensai…more then he should.

After a while Zero finally stopped crying and wiped his face with the back of his sleeve-still looking down. Zero sniffled a bit before finally composing himself.

"Better?" Kaname's voice sounded a little horse and he hoped Zero didn't notice. Zero only nodded his head while still looking down. Kaname smiled and reluctantly released Zero and reached into his suitcase. Zero watched as Kaname took a familiar object out and handed it to him. Zero looked at it for a while and let a smile touch his lips.

"You dropped it so and I forgot to give it back to you in class." Zero looked down again, embarrassed. He just broke down in front of his teacher and now he was being gentle with him.

"Thank you Kuran sensai."

"It's not a problem." There were so many questions Kaname wanted to ask the silver haired boy but he would wait until Zero was ready to talk about it more."

"Are you going to-tell anyone?" Zero finally looked up in to the taller mans eyes.

"Not if you don't want me too." God, it was hard for Kaname to say that. He wanted so desperately to tear that man apart or he could do it the human way and go to the police but he knew Zero would want to wait it out.

"Thank you." Zero visible relaxed. Kaname decided to let it go and talk about something else.

"Are you walking home?" He asked as they headed out of the library.

"Yeah it's not that far." Zero replied as they made their way out of the school building. Zero was about to say his goodbyes but Kaname stopped him with another question.

"How long does it take you to get home?" Kaname didn't know why he was prying into the boy's life but Zero just became an interest and he wanted to know so much about him. It almost scared Kaname, he felt like he was being a stalker but he couldn't help it.

"By car it takes about sixteen minutes but on foot it's almost an hour or so." Zero answered as if that wasn't a long walk.

"Come on." Kaname grabbed Zero by the hand and tugged him in the direction of his car. Zero stumbled for a second before gaining his balance.

"Wha-What do mean?" Zero couldn't help but notice how warm his sensei's was and how right it felt holding his hand.

"I'm taking you home, get in." Kaname said strictly but not demanding as he used his mind to unlock the doors. Zero marveled at how beautiful the car was. A black Mercedes Guardian was very rare in Japan.

Zero opened his door carefully and gently closed it after he got inside. Kaname was already in the car and started the engine. It purred to life and Kaname turned up the air conditioning. Zero gave him directions to his house after pulling out of the school lot, he was surprised that Zero lived in an estate.

"How long had he been abusing you?" Kaname asked out of the blue as they zoomed down the almost empty street.

"The first time he hit me is a couple of days after I was turned which was nine years ago then after that he would just slap me or push me down so I wouldn't call that beating but over the years it started to get worse and worse to the point where you could call it beating." Zero was surprised at how even his voice sounded to his own ears.

"_That long and no one had helped him!" _Kaname felt his anger again, he needed to calm down, and control was what he needed. His grip on the steering wheel tightened but Zero didn't notice.

"Why haven't you told your friends?" Kaname asked, trying to keep his voice from sounding angry. Zero sighed and finally took his eyes from the window and looked at Kaname.

"I don't have any friends."That seriously surprised Kaname. _Sure_, Zero looked like a delinquent with the many ear piercing and the tattoo on his neck but even people like that had "groupies."

"Why not? Your smart, I can tell by the work you turned in yesterday and you seem an alright person to me." Kaname noticed how Zero hesitated before speaking.

"My…father says it forbidden." Zero was hardly done with his sentence before the car pulled to an automatic halt. Zero gripped the seat in alarm as his ribcage protested to the sudden stop. He looked at Kaname and noticed how he was breathing in and out-deeply, shiver slightly.

"Give me on reason why I shouldn't find your 'so called father' and rip his head off." Kaname growled in complete anger.

"No, don't hurt him Kuran. He's going through a hard time and…."

"What is this? Does he own you and think he can just make up a bunch of rules!"

"It's not like that he…"

"What's next, you're not allowed to eat because he said so! Is that why you never eat during lunch?!" Kaname's eyes widen at the silence and he was about to open his door and hunt down the bastard of a father and…

Zero's hand shot out and stopped his angry sensai from retreating. Kaname's eyes turned a threatening red at the restriction.

"Zero." Kaname warned but Zero shook his head, pleading Kaname to stop.

"I will do something about my father but _please." _Zero shook his head pleadingly_._ Kaname looked into Zero terrified orbs, he felt himself weakening under the boys stare. "_Really, how could this boy have such an effect on me?"_

Kaname's eyes slowly turned back to normal as he began to get back in control. They said nothing else as Kaname drove the rest of the way in silence. When they got closer to their destination, Zero asked Kaname to stop around the corner. Some of his dad's maids were nosey and couldn't keep their mouths shut and Zero knew his father would be angry with him if he found out that someone else took him home -a pureblood no less.

"Are you going to be safe tonight?" Kaname didn't want to leave Zero to that-that abusive father of his, he wanted to keep driving and take Zero to his home so he could come live with him instead.

"I should be alright." Zero looked at Kaname reassuringly but Kaname looked at Zero sadly for a while and forced himself to look away-hiding his anger.

"Why don't you fight back?"

"Because he's my father and most of the time I don't mind if he hits me because he's hurting on the inside."

"Yeah well, seems to me like he's hurting you more on the inside and out." Zero sighed, he knew he wouldn't understand.

"I'm sorry." Kaname said apologetically as he turned back to face the other. He reached out a hand and caressed the abused cheek. "I really am sorry." He said again then suddenly realized something.

"Will you allow me heal these for you?" Kaname asked gently and was immensely happy when Zero seemed to brighten up.

"I forgot purebloods can do that, I don't mind." Zero had guessed Kaname was a pureblood a long time ago and was shocked that Kaname seemed to even take notice of his exsitence. Kaname smiled and leaned over, slowly, and gently he kisses Zero's left cheek and trailed his lips over the bruise while kissing it lightly.

Zero felt a tickly sensation as Kaname worked on him, his kisses glowing a clear blue. He sighed in bliss as the pain started to subside. Kaname smiled and began kissing the other smaller bruises on his face as he gently moved the silver bangs and kissed the one on his forehead, temple, and…

Zero gasped lowly as Kaname kissed the corner of his lips were a faint bruised awaited and blushed when Kaname decided to linger their longer then was needed. His blushed intensified when he felt a wet muscle lick the corner of his lip and he let out another gasp.

"Sorry." Kaname murmured and Kisses the spot one more time before leaning away. Kaname smirked at the boys flushed face, he really didn't understand why no one would want to be friends with the gentle boy or why anyone would want to hurt him. _"So innocent." _

"I have to go." Zero's quiet words brought Kaname out of his daze and realized he was staring at his student.

"Alright then, see you tomorrow?" Kaname tried to keep the wary out of his voice. Zero nodded reassuringly and opened the car door stepping out he leaned down a little and smiled at his sensai.

"See you tomorrow." Kaname nodded and drove off when Zero closed the door behind him. Zero felt giddy and happy, he hadn't felt that way in a long time. He blushed again when he realized his sensai almost kisses him on the lips. Scolding himself, he made his way into his so called home and up the stairs.

He took off his uniform top and threw it on the bed; it was uncomfortable to wear when it rubbed against his bruised ribs. The shirt that he threw on his bed began to move as a little furry black bundle popped out from underneath. Zero smiled and picked up the small puppy. She wagged her tail and began liking his face happily making Zero laughed softly as he placed her on the floor.

He had found her almost a month ago alone and starving so he brought her home and snuck her into his room. That day during dinner he had placed a napkin in his lap and slipped some food into it while his dad wasn't looking. Upstairs he fed her the scraps and played around with her in his room with the door closed. His dad wouldn't approve and Zero always had a soft spot for animals so there was no way he was going to leave the dog alone. He had decided to name the miniature poodle Rose. **(A/N: surprise).**His dad still had no clue about the dog or the maids because he taught her how to hid well. Though he did tell one maid-the girl from the kitchen- because she loved animals and had a few dogs as well. She decided to take care of Rose while Zero was gone; she would take her out in the yard for walks and to do doggy business and feed her with the dog food she always carried in a zip lock baggie from her home then give her water from a plastic cup.

He looked at his face in the mirror and smiled. The bruises on his face were completely gone and he felt much better except for his ribs and stomach but he figured he would manage.

*********************

Zero changed in the stall for P.E class and quietly winced when he bent down to pick up his jeans and put on the long stretchy bottoms. He carefully took his shirt off and put on a plain T-shirt and sighed, feeling much more comfortable.

Today the fitness exams began and Zero wasn't excited at all. He hoped they weren't doing push -ups or site-up because his ribs and stomach would highly disagree to that.

"Okay, girl's on that side boy's on this side!" The gym teacher raised his voice over all the commotion. Everyone groaned but complied.

"Two people will run at a time going the opposite direction, one female and one male. Line up seniors!" He blew the whistle when ever was in position and the two set off running to the opposite end picking up and eraser and bringing back to their starting line then going back for the other and coming back for their record time.

Zero deliberately went near the back of the line. He didn't want to be first and he didn't want to be last because he didn't want everyone to be done and watch him limp his way to the other side and he didn't want to be first because everyone would have no choice but to watch him.

When it was Zero's turn it seemed like everyone was watching him. However, he ignored them and kicked off when the teacher blew the whistle. Zero felt slight pain but it wasn't as bad as he thought it would be. He flew down the gym completing his shuttle run in record time.

"I'm impressed Kiyru broke your own record from last year." The gym Zero patted Zero on the back making him gasp put of surprise and wince in pain._ "Those hands feel like fathers." _Zero noticed others were looking at him with worry.

"You alright Kiyru san?" The P.E teacher asked almost apologetically. Zero nodded once, everyone knew Zero wasn't the one for words so the teacher didn't push any further.

**-**

**-**

**_**

After P.E Zero walked outside to his spot on the bench under the sakura tree. He had applied more ointment to his bruises on his ribs and stomach while in the privacy of the stalls. He was feeling much better because had to admit, he was looking forward to seeing his sensai. Kaname heard the soft footsteps in the grass and smiled knowingly.

"Hello Mr. Kiyru san."

"Why so formal Mr. Kuran sensai?" Zero mocked and sat down next to the pureblood.

"I'm guessing by your happy mood your father didn't bother you last night?" Zero blushed slightly and nodded his head.

"That's another reason I guess." Zero was really happy because he was with Kaname…his first _real _friend. _Yes, _Zero found himself thinking ok his sensai more than a friend but this was enough for now.

"Oh?" Kaname quirked an elegant eyebrow. He took notice of Zero bruise-less face and the light pink hue coloring them. "I see." Kaname finally realized Zero's other reasons for his happiness.

"_Want to communicate like this for a while?" _Zero acted out with his hands. Kaname smirked and responded back.

"_Does this mean were friends now, even though I'm your teacher." _Zero seemed to be thinking about it playfully.

"_What about my father?"_

"_I won't tell if you want." _

This was a lot more fun then Kaname thought it would be.

"_Then I guess were friends now." _Neither of their lips opened to speak and the only movements their lips did was to smile or laugh. It was very peaceful out here away from the chaos of the students. They could even hear the humming birds as they suckled on the sweet nectar inside the beautiful, colorful flowers.

"_Then shall we seal the deal of our friendship?" _Zero shrugged, he didn't really understand what Kaname meant.

"Is that something Vampire's do?" Zero asked with his voice filled with innocent curiosity.

"It can be something us two vampires do." Before Zero could state his confusion, Kaname pulled Zero's head to his and crashed their lips together.

"Mmmh." Zero protested and began to struggle. Though, Kaname didn't let him go but continued kissing him more gently. Zero made noises in his throat that sound like a dying protest turning into a never dying need. Kaname pulled Zero closer to his body deepening their sweet kiss. He was partly shocked when Zero began to kiss him back. Kaname didn't know if it was intended or not but he took advantage of it. He licked the boys panting lips then slid his tongue inside without any protest.

Kaname tasted Zero's deliciously hot, wet mouth feverously as he forgot where he was. He coaxed the shy hunter to come out and play as he led him into his awaiting, hungry mouth. Zero moaned when he tastes his sensai. Figuring that he wanted more of the spicy-minty taste, he delved deeper. Kaname groaned in want as he allowed Zero to control the kiss. Without realizing it, Zero crawled onto his sensei's lap and straddled him and grabbed a fist full of his dark chocolate locks.

Kaname angled his own head up for a better angle as he grabbed his student's hips into both his hands.

"Mmmmh." Zero moaned desperately as it was swallowed by Kaname. _"So good." _Zero thought as they separated for breathe. Kaname looked at his sexy student with his slightly bruised-kiss lips as he panted for more. Kaname licked his lips as if Zero was the best treat he ever had. Zero noticed his predatorily look and blushed hotly; he had admitted to himself that his teacher was indeed a hot sensai. Kaname trailed lower to Zero's neck and latched on, he sucked lightly at first before adding pressure.

"Se-Sensai." Zero gasped then moaned in pleasure as Kaname alternated between sucking and nibbling the flesh between his lips and teeth.

"You're very delicious. So _addictive._"Kaname voice sounded husky with desire. Zero felt hot all of a sudden and it felt like all the blood was rushing to his groin.

"Ahhh." Zero began to pant again louder as Kaname adored his neck with kisses and nibbles. It felt so good that Zero felt like he might orgasm just from this. There was no mistaking it, they both were hard and getting giggy on a school bench.

They both jerked in surprise when a loud bell rung signaling lunch was over. As if the bell was a wakeup call they both realized the position they were in with slight surprise. Zero got off the bench and picked his book up off the ground that he didn't know he dropped. Kaname stood up too and for a moment it was awkward silence.

"Th-That was a…bad idea." Zero clutched the book in his hands. Though, Kaname didn't think so because he enjoyed himself and by the looks of it he was sure Zero did as well.

"And why is that?"

"Because you're my teacher." Zero whispered and turned to leave. Kaname let him go and stood in the same spot for a while. "_Because I'm his teacher…sounds like a hot fantasy to me." _Kaname shrugged and walled into the building to start his Anatomy class.

**-**

**-**

**_ **

"You're late Kuran sensai." One of the male students pointed out the obvious as Kaname smoothing took his place at the front of the class.

"Yes, I had to get rid of a...problem…and know that it gone let's start the lesson." Kaname smirked when Zero glared at him. Luckily it wasn't as awkward as Zero thought it would be. Though, he still couldn't believe he made out his teacher, wasn't that illegal? Zero was pretty sure Kaname could care less if it was illegal or not though.

The bell seemed to have rung quicker than usual and Zero's panic began. He gathered his stuffed and was headed out the door with the crowed. Kaname looked at the empty doorway and sighed. He picked up his briefcase and left the classroom while 'locking' the door behind him. He hoped Zero wouldn't get in trouble with his father tonight.

Kaname leaned against his car after having teleported himself and watched Zero get into his dad's car. Luckily no drama unfolded and Kaname got into his car to go home. It took a lot of his will- power not to go over there and rip the man apart bit by bit.

********************

"Kaname sempai, welcome back." Aidou yawned ungracefully as he sleepily rubbed his eyes.

"Have you been up waiting for me again?" Kaname quirked an eyebrow at the blond noble. Aidou instantly stiffened realizing his mistake, he was suppose to hid and as soon a he saw Kaname he was too go back to his room but _no_ he slipped up and now it was too late.

"Yes." Aidou looked down to the floor ashamed. Kaname sighed and rubbed his head.

"I need a favor." Kaname said instead. Aidou perked up and looked at Kaname will big devoted blue orbs.

"Anything Kaname sama!" Aidou cheered with his loud voice, waking up the nobles closes to the stairs which consist of an annoyed Shiki and a confused Ichijou who was currently in bed with the model.

"Find all the information you can on the Kiyru clan." With that, Kaname gracefully mounted the stares and disappeared around the corner. He needed to get Zero out of that house of hell.

*********************

"Damn it I said eat it!" He gripped Zero head up as the boy kneel in front of him.

"Please anything put that." Zero begged desperately. His father snarled in anger and slapped him across the face.

"It wasn't up for discussion!" He forced the pile in Zero's mouth and made him swallow it. "You're hungry right?" when he got no answer he slapped Zero hard and yelled again. "Right?!"

"Yes." Zero sobbed, he could already feel the tablet working and not in a good way.

"Then here's another one." His father smirked and held it to Zero's lips. "Eat it!" Zero shook his head with nonstop tears flowing down his face. He yanked Zero head painfully and slapped him heard enough to leave another bruise. "What the fuck did I tell you about disobey, hmm, what did I say?!" He yelled followed by punch. Zero was about to fall but his father gripped his hair tighter to keep him upright. "What did father say?!" He demanded.

"Father Say's its important not to disobey."

"Damn right, now eat it." He forced the second one down Zero throat making him almost gage. "Do you want another one or are you going to beg for forgiveness like the monster you are?"

"Please my lord." Zero voice cracked pitifully.

"Hmm. Nope Wrong one." He slapped Zero with his rings hand, splitting the boys lip. Zero spit up blood resulting in him to get slapped even harder.

"I'm sorry!" Zero cried but his father shook his head.

"You're sorry what!?" He demanded, fist at the ready.

"I'm sorry…Father dearest." His father finally seemed satisfied and pushed him away to stand up from the couch and left without another word. Zero bridged his back slightly as it made contact with the floor. His dad had used his back as something to rest his feet on while watching TV but after two hours Zero arms started to wobble and he fell off his hands and knees, his father started kicking him in the back, demanding him to get up but Zero couldn't because he was hitting him repeatedly.

This time his father really did beat him to the point where he couldn't move, so he just laid their and soon fell unconscious from the intense amount of pain. He just hoped his father wouldn't find him like this or their will be hell to pay. Zero knew when he woke up the pills would be in full effect and he knew he would really be in hell tomorrow.

********************

**Okay I know I said I wasn't going to work on this story until I got done with my other so this is the last one until I'm done with **_**For the Love of Rose **_

**Please review though……………………..**

**^stallion14^**


	3. It's important to excel

**A/N: Thank you all for supporting my story! I'm going to try to keep alternating between my two stories so wish me luck ^^ oh yeah, someone said they think Kaname and Zero's relationship is developing fast. Well it's not because these are long chapters and if I were to split it up into normal sized chapters then it would have taken around four chapters just to get where I am today sooo I thought you should know that their relationship actually took a while and besides, it's not like they are actually **_**together**_** anyway. **

**IMPORTANT: No RAPE will EVER happen in my story. RAPE is bad…unless it involves Kaname and Zero….Just kidding no rape…or am i? XD**

**WARNING: This is a BL with adult themes including language; if it repulses you then click the back button. You have been warned. **

**SUMMARY: Kaname is enraged, but Zero refuses to let him kill that **_**'father'**_** of his, so Kaname thinks of an idea to get Zero out of that mans clutches at least for a little while. **_**"What are you planning Kaname…?"**_

**CHAPTER: Father Say's it's important to excel **

*********************

"_Fire, it burns…it burns! My insides feel strange." _Zero awoke with a loud gasp followed by a silent cry. His hand instantly shot out to hold his burning stomach in agony.

Silent tears streamed down his bruised cheeks endlessly. Absently, he looked around him and noticed he was still in the same spot and it was almost time for his dad to get up to go to work, in alarm, Zero began to awkwardly half crawl half drag himself to the grand staircase; he couldn't afford to let his dad see him like this. _"Father will be angry."_

Zero gritted his teeth from the painful, exhausting effort he put into mounting the stairs. About halfway up, he was breathing raggedly which caused extreme pain in his abused ribs. Resting to catch his breath for a minute, he continued his attempt to make it up the stairs, he just hoped he wasn't trailing blood or his father would really be pissed.

Successfully, he made it up the stairs and half limped half walked to his room. Closing the door silently behind him, he knew what he would find. One of the maids-probable the one from the kitchen-left him a raw bloody ground beef wrapped in plastic. This was the only blood he was allowed, the only blood he ever had and it was disgusting but it did help. Usually his father wouldn't do something so kind but it was a school day so his father would want him to be able to attend school. _"Father says it's important to excel." _Zero mocked and grabbed the meat from his desk and slumped to the floor. He sunk his throbbing fangs into the plastic wrap and took hungry gulps. He closed his eyes tightly from the disturbing taste-one would think he would be use to it because it was the only blood he ever had, but he knew he would never get use to it. The blood was cold, bitter and tainted. He wanted to spit it out but he knew that would be a foolish idea, this blood was literally his life source, he needed it.

Rose watched him from under the bed with a curious turn of her head only to be ignored by the frustrated ex-human. Zero made desperate sounds in the back of his throat as the flow of blood began to decrease little by little until the last drop. Zero growled and threw the now dry meat somewhere over the bed, he was still hungry but the blood did help with the pain and some of his bruises faded.

Now, he needed to get in the shower and go to school before his dad was ready for work. He wasn't sure if his body was up for an hour or so of walking but he had to do it, he had no choice.

************************

Zero had slowly but surely made it around the corner from his house to get to school, though, he was not expecting a tinted window, black Mercedes Guardian to be park exactly where his teacher, Mr. Kuran sensai, dropped him off.

Zero looked at the details of the care for a while; he still couldn't believe Kaname had that beautiful piece of machinery. An armored vehicle boasting of a B6/B7 protection level and the perfect personal transportation choice for those in need of superlative vehicular safety. While it's true reading about the S600 Guard's extensive list of safety features is enjoyable, such as the fact it's capable of withstanding up to military-grade small arms projectiles. Zero shivered at the thought of himself behind the wheel.

He slowly approached the vehicle as the window rolled down. He was greeted with a very pissed Kaname.

"Get in." He said in short, trying to keep himself from blowing up the neighborhood –yeah, he can do that. Without a word, Zero scurried to the passenger side and climbed inside the air conditioned car. He couldn't help but notice how the door closed itself about halfway through. Zero finally took his mind off the care and tried to glare dangerously at the pureblood beside him.

"Why are you here?" Zero asked with some urgency in his voice. He was grateful that his teacher actually thought about him and decided to come pick him up but his father was still home getting ready for work.

"Why did he beat you this time?" Kaname ignored Zero's question with one of his own. Kaname didn't look at Zero as they stood in the same spot not moving. Kaname couldn't look at Zero because...because…

"I disobeyed him." Zero answered lowly. He looked down in his lap and gripped the seat on either side on him. Kaname rested his head on the stirring wheel with a sigh.

"How so?" He closed his eyes; he didn't want to hear it really, he knew he was only going to give himself extra excuses to let his vampire nature unfold.

"It doesn't matter." Zero protested and looked at the other male beside him. Kaname's eyes were still closed as he shook his head on the stirring wheel.

"It does matter Zero." Kaname's voice cracked pitifully. The boy had a scary effect on Kaname, he felt so vulnerable around him, so _weak _but yet, so _strong. _How was that possible?

"I told you I can handle it Kaname!" Zero snapped. That did it, Kaname lost it.

"Have you looked at yourself Zero?!" Kaname finally turned to the boy with a sadden but pissed expression. "Clearly you cannot handle it. This is far out of your capability. Why want you let me help you?! I'm sick of seeing such a beautiful face covered in faded bruises, a split lip, and a black eye!" Kaname was yelling this time, he couldn't help it. Zero sat in his seat shaking his head over and over.

"I can…"

"No you can't Zero. When are you going to stop being in denial. He doesn't love you!" Kaname knew he was being harsh but Zero needed to hear the truth, he needed to open his eyes. Zero was ready for a combat but Kaname continued.

"Perhaps it is you who needs to take another look at what your father has done to you!"He opened the mirror on Zero side and growled lowly.

"Look at yourself Zero!" Zero complied hesitantly, looking up and gasped at what he saw.

"Look at how purple and black your face is!" Zero tried to look away but Kaname forced him to keep looking, the boy apparently didn't want to listen anymore but Kaname wasn't going to stop this time. "Do you think your father _loves_ you?! I heard of taught love Zero, but this is abuse!" Beyond yelling Kaname eyes were crimson red and his fang showing between his parted lips. Kaname did feel harsh for yelling at the boy like that but he felt so protective over him and he couldn't stand the boy being in denial and forcing the truth out of him seemed to work so far.

When Kaname heard Zero sniffle silently, he closed the mirror and pulled the defeated boy into his arms. Zero instantly buried his face in the man's chest and gripped his shoulders tightly, muffling his cries as Kaname held him protectively. Kaname laid his cheek on top of the silver head and shushed him soothingly. _"Please don't let him do this anymore Zero." _

*********************

After having kissed and licked Zero's face enough to heal the bruises and black eye, he had kissed his lips several time to heal the split lip and to just kiss him, then he had asked Zero if he wanted him to heal his ribs and stomach this time but Zero had kindly refused.

Now, Zero walked from the boy's bathroom after have applied more ointment to his ribs and stomach. He dug through his locker to start his day, gathering his pens, books and etc. After closing his locker and continuing his walk to first bell, he encountered that _boy _again. The boy from the High Jump team…the boy that looked so much like him.

They stared at each other for a while, noticing the tension and similarity between the two boys, some people stopped what they were doing and instigated. Some began to whisper things and other just raised eyebrows and continued walking. The boy that looked so identical to Zero had confronted him last year; he wanted to prove that they were long lost brother, separated at birth. Zero had told him it was impossible and that he was on only child. Zero said it was just a coincidence that they looked similar, but the boy was determined, he spent his whole junior year trying to find information and ask around but came up with blanks. It was as if they were born decades apart. The boy had finally given up, but he still believed they were brothers; he _wanted _to be Zero's brother; if only he had the proof.

Finally having enough of all the staring, Zero glared at every last single one of them. They squealed in fear and hurried to their classes. Zero brushed past the stunned boy and headed to his own class. He didn't understand why the kid wouldn't give up, why he was so determent…why he wanted to be his brother. Zero suddenly remembered the kids name…

Ichiru Hou.

-

-

_

Zero had thought hard about everything that happened in his life; down to the last four days. He had plans already formulating in his head. When he was done with high school, he was going to move out of his father's house and move far away from his past. He would be less of a burden to his Anatomy teacher and he wouldn't have to worry about him anymore. Zero was set and more than ready to graduate. Though, he was in turmoil over what to do about Kaname, if only he could get rid of the horrible feeling of leaving Kuran sensai behind.

When it was time for Anatomy class, Zero's heart was in her throat the entire way to the classroom. He wasn't sure if he was ready to face Kaname again after his break down. He walked slowly, stopping at a water fountain so that other students could beat him to class. Finally stepping into the classroom, Zero saw about eight students already there and as quickly as he could, he made his way to his desk by the window and sat down. He could feel the intense stare his teacher was giving him, but he refused to look up and meet his gaze. Kaname was probable wondering why he didn't go to the usual bench during lunch. Zero had skipped lunch because he just wasn't ready to face his sensai, but now, he had no choice. Suddenly, Zero felt the presence of someone stopping at his desk and waiting for him to give them his attention.

"Kiyru Zero, right?" _That voice._ Zero looked up and almost sighed in annoyance.

"What do you want?" Zero asked lowly but with venom leaking in his voice. The boy visible flinched but held his ground and didn't run away with his tail between his legs.

"Remember me from last year? I'm Hou Ichiru, captain of the High Jump team. I was watching you the other day during the shuttle run and may I say you have great poise and your running is almost discreet, kind of like your being careful about how you run." Zero didn't understand were this was going and his patience was on a thin line. As if sensing this, Ichiru jumped to conclusion. "Would you like to join the team?" Ichiru bit his lip anxiously. Zero eyes widen a fraction before going back to its normal position. He could still sense his teacher's now curious stare on him and he tried not to glare at the man in annoyance.

"I'll think about it." Zero finally managed to answer. Ichiru looked pleased enough and nodded his head with a bright smile on his face.

"Once the season starts, if you make it, you get to skip P.E since you're on the High Jump team or track team. That period is free time." Ichiru added for good measures and he would have said something further but the bell rang signaling it was time to star class.

"Well then I hope you consider it." Ichiru waved his goodbye and left the class, knowing he was going to be late for his own class. Kaname quirked an eyebrow _"Zero is a twin?"_ He figured he'd ask the boy about it later and stood up to start his lesson. Zero took the notes quickly but every time he looked up, Kaname would be looking right at him and after a while he couldn't bring himself to look at the board anymore and just pretended he was writing something important down. The man surely had staring issues.

"Mr. Kuran sensai, are you married?" One of the female students randomly asked without raising her hand. Kaname stopped his lesson and looked at the girl in the third row.

"I don't believe that has anything to do with the science structure of organisms and all of their various parts, but to answer your question, no I am not married." Kaname smiled handsomely at the obviously excited girl. Zero rolled his eyes in annoyance, the girl was obviously flirty with Kaname and he was practically handing her the bait.

Sooner or later the bell finally had rung signally the end of school for the day. Many students cheered and ran out the door like it was finally the last day of the school year already. Zero was in a bit of a rush but not like the other times.

"Mr. Kiyru Kun, a word please." Kaname motioned the boy over.

"I have to go Mr. Kuran sensai." Zero gathered his things and was headed for the door but Kaname stopped him with his next words.

"I have already called your father and told him you're staying after for a school project." Kaname stated calmly as he gathered his things. Zero stood in front of his desk with mild confusion.

"What project?" Kaname closed his suite case and motioned for Zero to follow him.

"It's not exactly a project. We are going on a little field trip to St. Yomiuri School for the deaf. We will be teaching sign language and other various activities." They walked out of the class room, only pausing to lock to door.

"Where is everyone else then?" Zero questioned as Kaname grabbed his wrist pulling him close. He teleported them to his car effortlessly and guided the slightly dizzy boy into the car. Kaname climbed in next and put his suit case in the back seat.

"It's just you and I. I'm positive were the only two at this school that knows Sign Language anyway." Kaname turned up the air condition like always and pulled out of the school lot, zooming down the street. Zero shook his dizziness away and straightened up in his seat.

"My father was alright with this?" Zero asked somewhat skeptically. Kaname turned the corner smoothly and aligned the car again.

"Yes, he had no problem with it." Kaname remembered the conversation he had with Zero's father, he knew he had been highly rude to the man and it took all of his power not to start threatening the hunter endlessly, but he managed to sound reasonable.

"What did you say to him?" Zero questioned further, still not believing his dad had said it was okay. Kaname shrugged and turned another corner leading to a small bridge separating the city, and the suburbs from the valley.

"I asked him if it would be alright if you could join me on a school field trip worth extra credit points. He said okay because it's important for you to excel."Kaname glanced at Zero once and continued his driving. Zero made a noise and looked away. _"Of course father would say that."_

Beyond the valley laid a small town with only three schools. One school for preschoolers-fifth grade, another school for sixth-twelfth grade and one enormous castle-like school for the deaf. Kaname had slowed down somewhat and drove more human-like.

Zero looked through the window and saw cows, horses, chicken, foxes, sheep, cattle, barns, hay, crops, old shaggy houses, and other farm-like objects. Many people stopped what they were doing to ogle the exotic piece of machinery. Zero was sure they never seen something so futuristic. They drove further down the road and hit many other turns. They began to pass schools that looked like a conjoined three story old house until eventually they came across a straight dirt road leading to twin metal bare gates.

"This is it." Kaname pulled up to the gate and waited for one of the staff members to come assist him.

"Kuran Kaname I'm guessing?" The bulgy man asked through the rolled down window as he inspected Zero whom sat next to Kaname.

"Yes, this is my student Kiyru Zero. He will be working with me today." Kaname stated flatly. The man nodded quickly and signaled for his partner to open the gates.

The gates creaked open slowly then Kaname pulled inside, driving up to the first step leading to the top of the entrance door.

"This place is kind of…"

"Creepy?" Kaname finished for him teasingly. "Are you afraid Zero, should I take you back? Kaname watched the boy suddenly turn angry in a pouty way.

"Let's just go in." Zero said and before Kaname could say anything further, he opened the door and got out, waiting for the pureblood. Kaname smirked and chuckled to himself before he too joined the hunter by the stairs.

-

-

_

They walked side by side into the building, heading down a long hallway with cream colored walls and wooden floors. It actually wasn't so bad looking inside; nothing was chipping away, the paint looked good and the wooden floors were polished. They passed a couple of Japanese styled sliding classroom doors with multiple colorful drawing on the walls. Zero walked silently beside Kaname, not daring to wonder off on his own.

"Ah, Kuran sama I presume?" A woman stood holding the office door open with a wide smile on her face. She completely stood out because of the fact that her suit was red; a red knee length skirt, a red jacket, a red under shirt and a thick layer of red lipstick.

"Yes and this is my student, Kiyru Zero." Kaname introduced. The women turned her attention to Zero and smiled even wider.

"It's a pleasure Kiyru san." Zero only nodded his head and refrained from looking at the women weirdly. Without another word, Zero followed Kaname into the office.

-

-

_

After twenty minutes of talking to the women, they headed up the stairs to the third floor and walked down another long hallway. They came across an opened sliding door and the women motioned them inside. Kaname stepped in wordlessly while Zero only hesitated for a second. He had never been exposed to a group of deaf children or grownups and he had to admit he was kind of nervous.

Zero was greeted with warm smiles from a small group of children.

"_Okay class, these young gentlemen will be the helpers for today, please give them a warm welcoming and do as they say." _The women acted it out with both hands and at the same time talked lowly. The children nodded and waited patiently to be introduced to their temporary teachers.

Both Kaname and Zero walked to the front of the class and began their class. About ten minutes into the class, Kaname had already gone over basic science and Zero had taught a higher level of sign language. The children seemed to be keeping up but Kaname and Zero knew the kids wanted to get to the fun stuff.

"Kaname, what do you have planned for the fun activities?" For a second he found it odd to use his vocal cords since he hadn't talked since they arrived in the classroom. Kaname smiled at him while handing him a stack of papers.

"Please hand these papers out then I will began to explain." Zero eyed Kaname strangely but never less, he handed out the blue piece of paper and kept one for himself and Kaname. Kaname instructed the children to pair up in two's and sit at one table. The students excitedly complied and grabbed their closes friend, scattering to find a table. Next, Kaname instructed them to read the paper as his assistant -to Zero's annoyance-passed out the equipment which contained 2 containers (1 smaller than the other), water, Food coloring, PVA glue, Borax solution (ratio of about 1 Tbsp of borax to a cup of water).

As soon as everyone had their directions they got started immediately. Kaname looked at Zero whom stood to the side watching the children mix strange and dangerous looking chemicals together.

"Zero, be my partner?" Kaname asked sweetly and somewhat amusingly. Zero raised an eyebrow as he walked over to the pureblood.

"This experiment is called Crazy Putty and I need you to help me make it." Kaname took the paper from Zero and began to order everything.

"I know you don't need help making mushy putty." Zero hissed. Kaname chuckled and took the PVA glue in his hand.

"It's called crazy putty and it's a lot more fun to make when you have a partner." Zero stared at his sensai a little while longer before sighing.

"Alright, what do you want me to do?" Kaname smiled in triumph and handed the PVA glue to Zero.

"I'll read the directions to you as we go along." Zero nodded and stood closer to the container and Kaname. "Fill the bottom of the larger container with PVA glue." Kaname instructed as he kept his eyes on his silver haired student. Zero did as he was told and waited for his next task. "Next, add a few squirts of water and stir. Then add 2 or 3 drops of food coloring and stir that as well." Zero complied and was immensely fascinated as the mixture began to boil slightly. Kaname smile at the boy's reaction and continued to give his instructions. "Add a squirt of borax, stir the mixture up and put it into as the smaller container." Zero did as was expected. His eyes widen in hidden excitement as the mixture began to fuse together creating crazy putty.

"What next?" Zero asked, trying to hide his excitement.

"You're done, congratulations Zero." The startled boy jumped slightly when the pureblood whispered hotly in his ear.

"W-What is this s-stuff anyway?" Zero asked distractedly as Kaname continued to ignore his personally space but was no longer practically kissing his ear.

"The PVA glue you used is a type of polymer called polyvinyl acetate, PVA for short, while the borax is made of a chemical called sodium borate. When you combine the two in a water solution, the borax reacts with the glue molecules, joining them together into one giant molecule. This new compound is able to absorb large amounts of water, producing a putty like substance which you can squish in your hands or even bounce. I'm sure you knew that though, Ne Zero?" Kaname teased. Zero scoffed and picked up the green substance he created. He wouldn't admit it, but he felt proud of himself for creating something as silly as crazy putty.

Kaname looked around and noticed that most of the children were having a hard time with their silly putty so he decided now was the time to intervene.

**************** **

Both Zero and Kaname climbed into the black car and sighed in sync. They had finally got around to helping everyone with the experiment and it had turned out to be a great success, all the children seemed exited to play with their home made toy. Kaname started up the engine and drove off, passing through the twin gates and continuing down the dirt road. Kaname glanced at Zero and laughed quietly. Hearing this, Zero looked at the pureblood defensively.

"What?"

"Nothing, are you enjoying yourself?" Kaname snickered shortly. Zero pouted in annoyance but continued to play with his green mush.

"As a matter of fact I am." Zero ignored Kaname's snickers and continued to mush and squish his green ball of gush. They soon came to the bridge that separated the valley from the suburbs and city.

"I have one more place I want to take you Zero." Kaname finally clued the boy in as he drove down a street that began to merge into the suburbs. Zero took his attention from the putty and looked at his sensai fully.

"What do you have in mind?" Zero was filling a little apprehensive, was his father also okay with this as well? Kaname sped up to make the orange light and turned the corner smoothly.

"How about a movie?" Kaname could feel Zero's uneasiness and figured he should try to reassure him. "Don't worry, I told your father that the project might take all night so he won't be expecting you back for a while." Zero visible relaxed and slouched his shoulders. He glanced outside the window and sighed lowly.

"I know what you're doing Kuran sensai." Zero watched as they got on the highway and speeded down the fast lane.

"I want you out of that mans gulches for as long as possible. I must be honest Zero, I don't want you living with that man." They stayed quiet for the rest of the ride to the cinema but oddly the silence was an enjoyable one.

******************

Zero didn't want Kaname to pay for his ticket-even though Zero realized he didn't have money, but father said never to let anyone spend good money on him because he was so useless and it would be a waste- Kaname paid anyway which got the lady behind the counter laughing none stop at their adorable bickering.

Kaname had asked Zero if he wanted anything from the concession stand but Zero had kindly refused so they headed to their theater room. There wasn't many people their yet so they walked all the way to the top and sat directly in the middle seats. The seats had very cushy red seats and cup holders so Zero relaxed a little more into the seat. Just then he realized he had no clue what he was about to see. He looked at Kaname with curiosity written all over his face.

"Kuran sensai?"

"Please call me _Kaname." _Zero blushed lightly and continued.

"K-Kaname, what are we seeing exactly?" Kaname smiled at him and sat back more fully in his seat.

"An American movie." Kaname was clearly beating around the bush.

"Which one?" Zero prompted. Kaname smile widen as mischief twinkled in his warm brown orbs.

"Halloween." Kaname finally clued the boy in causing Zero quirked an eyebrow.

"Is that the one with the guy in a mask running around killing people?" Zero didn't know much about American movies but he did hear rumors about a character named Michael Myers in an American horror film. Kaname nodded shortly.

"Scared?" Kaname teased playfully. Zero scoffed and folded his arms across his chest and slouched fully in his seat.

"Why would I be scared of a horror film?" Zero mumbled as he looked at the screen that was showing advertisements. Kaname watched his silver haired student silently as he smiled sweetly. _"If only you knew how beautiful you are Zero." _The lights began to dim and the previews were starting up. Kaname remembered something and began to dig through his pocket and retrieve two pairs of ear plugs **(A/N: Yeah I kind of borrowed that idea) **He handed one too Zero and instructed him to put them in his ears. The boy did as was told and as soon as they were in, he couldn't help but realizes how everything seemed not to be so loud but just right. He thanked Kaname with a smile and they turned their attention back to the flickering screen.

Sooner or later more people filled in and luckily it wasn't so many people and only one couple came to the top to sit on Kaname and Zero's left in the corner. The lights dimmed completely and the movie started. The first few minutes of the movie were actually…well…good _but _not scary.

Kaname found himself watching Zero again. _God, _for the love of him he couldn't keep his eyes off the boy. He was just so interesting, so beautiful, so innocent_, _so gentle and-Kaname inhaled deeply- Kami he smelled _delicious. _He continued to watch the other vampire and smiled whenever Zero smile, laughed when ever Zero laughed. The boy mad Kaname feel so warm and not lonely; he really did want to protect him, Oh so very much.

Apparently the boy thought the horror movie was funny which made Kaname smile even wider. Zero finally felt the feeling of being watched so he turned his attention from the screen and locked eyes with the burnet beside him.

"W-What?" Zero felt a blush creep across warmly on his cheeks. _"Why is he looking at me like that, with that expression of his?" _

"I'm a little scared actually. Can I sit closer to you?" Kaname lied; he just wanted to be closer to the other male, he felt a strong nagging urge to hold the boy.

"You can't be serious." Never less, Zero lifted the arm rest that separated them and beckoned the pureblood closer. In truth, he also wanted to get closer to his sensai. Kaname smiled smugly and scooted closer to Zero, however, Zero was not expecting what happened next. Kaname lifted Zero's leg and placed them over his lap and turned the boy facing him and scooter over in Zero seat, effortlessly pulling the boy in his lap.

"Sensai!" Zero gasped in surprise. Kaname chuckled and shushed him. Zero protested for a second then gave up and turned his head to continue to watch the movie. Slowly, he leaned his face down and rested his head against Kaname's broad chest. He listened to the soft beat of his heart for a second. The nerve of Kaname to treat him like a prissy female.

"What if someone sees?" Zero asked silently as he kept his attention on the screen.

"Their human eyes cannot see us and besides, there are only two people on the same level as us." Kaname reassured lightly. Kaname felt Zero nod and faintly sigh. They sat just like that and watched the translated movie in complete peace, however, Zero felt a slight pain in his stomach when the women repeatedly got stabbed over and over again. It reminded him of his bruised ribs and stomach that still ached. He buried himself deeper into Kaname's warmth; here he felt safe, here he felt whole, here he felt loved. Kaname smiled adoringly and gazed back at the movie. He could feel Zero relaxing in his arms, even though the bloody cries echoed through the theater room.

-

-

_

After the movie ended Zero had jumped off of Kaname's lap before the lights turned back on and had received a chuckle from the amused pureblood. They both had taken out their earplugs and shoved them in their pockets and headed out to the black car outside.

Kaname started the engine and drove off swiftly and turned onto the highway, switching to the fast lane.

"Thank you." Zero suddenly said as he gazed out the car window and spotted and old man whom was driving in an old station wagon with round bifocals hiding his face. "You know, for getting me away from my dad for a while." Zero added as he looked back at the pureblood.

"It's more than my pleasure Zero." Kaname glanced at the boy beside him with a smile plastered on his face.

"What are you planning Kaname?" It was barely above a whisper but Kaname heard it clearly.

"I have already told you, I plan to keep you away from your father for as long as possible."Kaname reminded the baffled teen. Zero mumbled something incoherent and leaned comfortable in his seat as he watched the signs flicker by form the front window.

"Tell me about your father?" Kaname raised an elegant brow at the boy's sudden request. Never less, he answered.

"Well, he's a pureblood of course, He's very successful and a really caring man and father." Kaname said as he switched lanes.

"He sounds like a great father." Zero's voice was laced with unintentional jealousy. Kaname sighed sadly, he didn't mean to make Zero feel that way.

"What does he do for a living?" Zero was basically insisting they talk more about his father even though Kaname could clearly see it was hurting the boy.

"He's a boring business man and handles a lot of boring business man stuff." Kaname explained as if he were talking to a five year old, he received a chuckle from Zero who shook his head at the same time.

"What about your mother, besides the fact that she's a pureblood?" Zero added in an amused tone.

"She's a housewife and before you ask me if I have any brothers or sisters the answer is no." Kaname figured he should save the boy his breath.

"No wonder you're such a spoiled brat." Zero teased jokingly.

"Oh? Well perhaps you're correct." Zero rolled his eyes and ignored the purebloods comment. It was silent for a long while until Kaname broke it suddenly.

"You're too nice of a person, Zero." Kaname said, his voice softening. The exit was two miles up so Kaname switched lanes again.

"Nice is a kind way of putting it." Zero said quietly. He looked a little off to the right as they passed by another car, in which a couple of girls were singing along to the music. The sight they made was a little funny, but Zero couldn't bring himself to laugh anymore tonight.

"Are you hungry or do you want to head home?" Kaname asked, getting into the right lane in front of the group of singing girls.

"We can just drive to my house." Kaname nodded in understanding. For some reason Zero began to feel nervous as his mind conjured up possibilities of how the night would end. When they excited the highway, Zero felt like he was getting sick and his stomach began to ach again. He knew he was hungry for real blood but it looked like he would have to settle for cold ground beef blood tonight.

As they neared his home, Kaname didn't need to be told to stop at the corner from his house as they pulled up. Kaname put the car into park and shut the engine off. Zero looked at Kaname oddly and was about to voice out his question but Kaname beat him to it.

"I know you're hurting again, please let me heal your other bruises?" Kaname stared into Zero's eyes intensely with a serious expression. Zero sat there debating with himself, telling himself sweet nothings. "_It's not like he's going to hurt me or anything, he's only going to look at my chest and stomach, he's the good guy, I trust him." _Zero, finally deciding with himself, nodded to Kaname and signaled his permission by facing the pureblood. It was dark in the car and if it weren't for the fact that they were vampires, they would not have been able to see each other at all.

"Push your seat back." Kaname instructed, his voice low as he crawled over to Zero's side. For some odd reason, Zero's body reacted to the note in Kaname's voice, and his heartbeat and breathing increased in tempo. Slowly he reached for the control that would send his seat back in order to give Kaname room to heal him.

Once that was accomplished, Kaname kneeled in front of Zero and reached to push the other button that would make him lay back. Zero gasped in surprise when he was brought to a laying position. Kaname smirked and balanced himself by putting one knee on the seat between Zero's slightly spread legs. Slowly, Kaname leaned down a little and began to unbutton Zero's school shirt one button at a time. The beating of their hearts sounded loud inside the car and the violin-like music from the crickets outside echoed through his senses. Zero couldn't repress the shiver that trembled down his spine as Kaname's fingers brushed his open shirt aside and lightly grazed his suddenly heated skin.

Kaname sighed angrily at what he saw. There were spots of purple, yellow, and blue all over the front side of the poor boys body. Kaname wanted so bad to kill the man who inflicted abuse on his Zero! _"My Zero?"_ Kaname shook his head and lightly trashed a purple colored mark.

Zero gasped quietly when Kaname lowered his head and began to apply light pressure with his lips, urging the bruise to heal. Zero felt the same numbing sensation as before and the soft clear blue glow illuminated the dark car.

Kaname had started above Zero's belly button and kissed –while occasionally licking- his way up and received small but sure gasps and quick intakes of breath from the boy underneath him. Kaname closed his eyes tightly-those sounds were doing more to his body then he ever intended. There was no hesitation as Kaname began to kiss the bruises on Zero's chest softly. Zero gripped the side of the car with his right hand and gripped the seat with his other. He allowed his head to fall back as Kaname began to kiss his left nipple and slowly gave it a lick.

"Mmmn." Zero moaned softly on accident. He couldn't help it, what Kaname was doing felt _good._ Kaname stiffened when he heard that beautiful moan slip pass Zero's slightly parted lips. Zero bit his bottom lip and screwed his eyes shut as Kaname began to kiss and lick his other now rosy nipple. He exhaled shakily and unconsciously arched up into the other's touch. Kaname brought his left hand down and around Zero's back, bringing him closer as he brought Zero's nipple completely in his mouth and nibbled on it gently.

"Uh…Wait…Kana…ahn!" Kaname began to rub and pinch his other nipple with his fingers as he worked on the one in his mouth. Zero brought both his hands down and tangled them in the brown strands. He arched his head back and pressed it into the seat and shivered deliciously in the purebloods arms. Kaname switched and began sucking greedily on his other rosy nub. Zero unconsciously stroked the browns strands under his finger tips as he was brought to a moaning, blushing uke. Kaname smirked and leaned up to whisper in Zeros ear.

"All done." Zero blinked in surprise and immediately pushed his teacher off of him. Kaname chuckled and sat back in his seat as Zero straightened his and fastened his shirt back in place.

"Uh thanks." Zero said awkwardly, not looking at Kaname.

"It was my pleasure." Kaname was still smiling as he looked at the boy across from him but he was disappointed in himself for jumping Zero all of the sudden like that.

"I have to go. Thanks for today, I had fun." Zero said sincerely as he wasted no time in getting out of the Mercedes Guardian and quickly-but carefully- closed the door behind him. Kaname watched Zero in amusement until the boy disappeared around the corner.

Kaname started the engine and headed home. He figured that Zero's father wouldn't hurt him tonight. The odds were that he was bound to be sleep by now anyway, though, Kaname still felt like a idiot for allowing Zero to walked back into that house again.

********************

Luckily Zero's father was asleep and didn't hear him come in. Zero tiredly trudged up the grand staircase and took a quick shower, he was relieved to see the bruises were gone and he felt better than ever. Changing into his pajamas, after brushing his teeth, Rose crawled from under the bed and yipped excitedly. He shushed her and motioned for her to jump on the bed. It was around midnight when they crawled into bed. Zero pulled the old covers over himself, burrowing underneath. Rose curled up beside him on top of the covers and exhaled noisily. There was no school tomorrow so Zero took delight in the fact that he could over sleep in bed.

That night Zero couldn't help the fact that his dreams were filled with a curtained man, a man with the purest blood. _Kuran Kaname. _

**-**

**-**

**_**

Zero jerked awake when he heard glass breaking, and glanced at the clock. "_Father is up already."_ Not sure how long he had been awake, Zero wasn't sure if he wanted to make sure his father was okay because it may have just been an accident. "_I'll just go and make sure."_

Zero got out of bed, receiving a protesting whimper from Rose, and stepped over the floorboard that he knew would creek. Opening the door, he saw alight coming from downstairs. Zero hesitated for a few seconds, but ventured downstairs, walking on the balls of his feet to keep quiet. Looking into the den, his father was brooding over the fireplace. Zero noticed there was no fire going, but his father was still looking down at the hearth as if there were. Zero could see glass shards inside.

"Father?" Zero quietly said, wanting to see if he was okay. Zero saw his father's shoulders tense up and he turned his head a little in his son's direction. Zero wanted to hide behind the doorframe. "_Why didn't I just go back to bed?!" Zero questioned himself. _

"They lost the bloodsuckers trail for good." His father murmured.

"I'm sure he didn't get far since they nicked him with silver." Zero tried to set his father at ease.

"Don't you get it, you stupid vampire!" I'm losing my touch! It was my fault for not being their!" Zero snarled at his father viciously. His father balked at the sudden attitude.

"Come here." His father demanded. Zero shook his head. "Get the fuck over here!" His father said more forcefully.

"No." Zero stated calmly. His father's eyes widen. _So much disrespect! _

"Vampire, I'm going to teach you how it feels to play with fire." Then his father advanced on him.

*********************

**Sorry school has been a pain in my rear end. So anyway I hope you liked this chapter and REVIEW and tell me what you think. LOL I know I said I wasn't going to continue this BUT things happen. And I know Zero forgot his putty in the car. Don't forget to REVIEW though ^^**

**^STALLION14^**


	4. It's important not to tell

**A/N: It's been a while huh? Well I'm finally not sick anymore so let's get this party started, though it still will take some time getting the chapters out because of school and all BUT let's not think about that ne? XD Please Review…Come on people SHOW ME LOVE ^^**

**WARNING: Nothing too serious in the chapter. Language, touchy feely ect. You have been warned. **

**SUMMARY: Kaname can't take it anymore. It's just too much. "Zero, I know you don't want to hear this but, I can't do this anymore …." **

**CHAPTER: Father Say's its important not to tell**

****************** **

"Don't touch me!" Zero found his voice as he stood his ground, head healed high. His father blinked numbly as he stopped in his tracks.

"Who the hell do you think you are vampire?" His father brows were knitted; too stunned to hold threat in his voice. Zero figured this was a good chance to try to talk some scene into his father. Yes, he was afraid but he felt…he felt like his father would actually listen. He felt that his father would actually give into his plea.

"F-father, I am sorry that you are upset with me, I'm sorry that I am what I am but it is not my fault nor is it something I can change. Please do not disown me for the actions of what that pureblood did to me," Zero took cautious but sure steps toward his oddly silent father. "If I could go back and change what happened I would but I _can't._ It's the past, something that already happened. W-what I'm trying to say is can we please move on and forget." By now Zero was standing in front of his father with serious lavender eyes. His father was silent for a while as he stared straight into his son's bright orbs that looked so much like his own.

For a fleeting moment, Zero witness his father softening as if he was finally getting through to him but suddenly rage reflected in his eyes and he lashed out. Zero didn't have time to move before the smack delivered on his face. His face turned left and his hand came up to touch his bruised cheek. The smack didn't really hurt like the others, No, what hurt him most of all was the fact that his father would dare lay a hand on him. He thought he could get through to him but it looked like he was wrong.

Zero looked back at his father accusingly. If only he could hate the man, if only he didn't still love him so much.

"_How could you father?" _

********************

Zero then went upstairs, taking them one at a time and gripping the railing with every stab of pain that shot up his spine. Cleaning up his face as best as he could, he took a few painkillers and washed them down, then applied some ointment, the bottle of which was half-empty. He didn't want to think about the look that would be on Kaname's face when he saw him again, or what he would say, but Zero was mostly anxious about what Kaname would do.

He went back to his room, needing a bit more sleep. The ache was back inside his chest, the one that he always felt when he was alone, needy, and vulnerable. He lied on his stomach since it was the only position he could lie in without it being too painful on his tired out body. Zero looked at the clock next to his bed and sighed. _"I never should have even gone downstairs in the first place." _

**-**

**-**

**_**

Zero shifted then groaned when he realized that his arm was asleep. Wondering what woke him up so soon, Zero attempted to roll onto his back, barely stifling a yelp when it put pressure on his sore back. Rose crawled up his body and licked his face happily. _That's what woke me up._ Zero glared and got to his hands and knees getting out of bed backward and standing up slowly. Looking down at his light blue pajamas, Zero saw the large blood stain on the collar, and went searching for a shirt to change into instead.

Zero unbuttoned his pajama top, dropping it onto his bed and searched his drawer and found a dark blue shirt with three-quarter length sleeves and light blue pants to go with. He painstakingly pulled on his shirt and after taking off his bottoms, he sluggishly pulled on the pair of pants. Zero stuffed her pajamas into the hamper and walked to the bathroom to survey the damage.

His lips didn't look too bad, swollen but not nearly as much as when he had woken up at seven. After applying more ointment, He walked downstairs hoping to get something to drink without one of the maid seeing him.

Zero was creeping towards the kitchen when Miss Misaki(the maid form the kitchen) appeared in the hallway, leaving the den. She looked greatly upset, and walked quickly to Zero and looking over him as if he might have a new limb somewhere.

"I found blood on the carpet for the up tenth time! Are you okay?" she asked, placing her hands on Zero's shoulders. He grimaced as she touched the fresh bruise on his right shoulder and backed away from the housekeeper. Miss Misaki pulled her hands back as if she had burned them.

"Is he already at work?" Zero asked instead as he walked towards the kitchen. Miss Misaki looked bewildered. "_He acts as if being beaten weren't as serious as it is. The poor boy Is becoming used to It."_ Zero turned to Miss Misaki when she didn't answer him.

"Is he already at work?" Zero asked again. Miss Misaki seemed to snap out of whatever trance she was in and nodded her head once.

"Well, I got him into bed when I got here this morning. He threw up a little, but nothing much. Then he got up all by himself about an hour ago and then showered, shaved, dressed, and left. I was surprised that his hangover didn't keep him at home. I'm guessing now that he didn't want to look at what he did to you last night." Miss Misaki looked into Zero's eyed pointedly, saying without words that she didn't want this to be happening to him.

Zero only nodded, swallowing around the sudden lump in his throat, and walked to the kitchen. Pouring himself a glass of orange juice, Zero unconsciously picked up the glass with his bruised hand and immediately noticed how badly his hand was shaking. He changed hands, seeing that he wouldn't be able to use his left one much that day.

**-**

**-**

**_**

Back in his room, Zero was at his desk working on his homework when the phone rang. He grabbed for the phone, hoping Miss Misaki didn't pick up the line.

"I've got it, Miss Misaki!" Zero called out his open bedroom door. He could hear Kaname chuckling a little bit on the other end. Setting his pen down, Zero pressed his ear to the receiver.

"Good afternoon, Zero...did you sleep well?" he asked with a little playfully. Zero would never admit it, but he loved how the pureblood always flirted with him. But he was also reminded about what happen last night and the mild pain shooting through his body.

"Actually," he began, not wanting to hear his reaction. Lowering his voice for some reason, as if his father were standing right behind him, Zero continued, "It happened again." There was no need to describe what the word 'it' meant.

Kaname had been up since nine grading papers that were turned in on Friday. It was a little hard to concentrate because all he could think of was Zero. He wanted to hear his voice so bad that he called him, but he was hesitant at first because he was afraid his father might still be home. It made him happy that Zero sounded life full when he yelled for Miss Misaki not to pick up the phone. He tried to flirt a little to relax the boy, but the news Zero whispered to him made him want to put his fist through a wall. "_That damn bastard!"_

"Are you alright? Is anything broken? How serious is it?" He asked, trying to discern the note in Zero's voice. Zero could tell that Kaname was half angry, half concerned, and definitely not playing anymore. Zero felt his heard warm considerable form the note of worry in the purebloods tone. Kaname was so gentle and so kind that it could have made Zero cry.

"I'm fine Kaname geez. Is this a new form of 20 questions that I don't know about?" Zero voice sounded strained with unexpected emotions.

"Are you in pain?" Kaname held his breath. Zero sounded like he was trying not to cry. That really worried Kaname to no end. Maybe his father got carried away with Zero and hurt him to the point of permanent damage. Oh _god_, Kaname did not want to think of that!

"I'm fine Kaname." Zero was in denial again. Kaname narrowed his eyes.

"...You know I can't let this go now," he said, leaning his forehead against the cool wall to get himself to calmed down. He could practically see the worry on Zero's face.

"Can't you wait another week, please?" Zero whispered softly, practically begging him. "I think I'm finally getting through to him. I just need a little bit more time, _please._" Zero couldn't let his father get locked away. He still _needed _him. He needed him to…love him.

"Your father is beating you around, and you expect me to turn a blind eye to it?" Kaname asked, sounding incredibly worried. Zero could feel tears starting to form. Kaname's wish to confront his father wasn't the cause of his tears though. He was happy that Kaname -in particular- was so concerned about him. It was comforting to hear the protectiveness in his voice. Zero heard a slight thud and a sigh. Kaname, on his side, thumped his forehead against the wall, trying to find a way to convince him, but not coming up with anything. Sighing in resignation, Kaname decided to change the topic.

"What are you doing today?"

"Thanks Kaname." Zero smiled, knowing what the change of topic meant.

"I have the feeling I'll regret this." he sighed, only half-joking. Zero smiled softly on his end, staring at his homework without seeing it. Yes, Kaname was very gentle with him.

"I'll be done with my homework in about an hour. I would have gone to the library but I can't know." Zero tried to avoid the touchy subject's but it was kind of difficult.

"Oh? Why is that?" Kaname asked curiously. Zero heard him close a cupboard or something on the other end.

"I have obvious injuries such as a split lip and bruises. Besides, my body is in too much pain to move around much anyways. He…kicked me a little _low _so it…it's kind of p…painful down…there." Zero said awkwardly with a blush forming on his cheeks.

Kaname paused; sudden confusing emotions came twirling around him. He was upset and_ very_ pissed about what Zero's father did but he was also getting turned on from the idea of his lips over the boy's member as he kissed and licked it to heal the pain. Kaname felt a twitch between his legs and instantly felt ashamed. _"The boy is being abused for God sake!" _

"I-I see. Actually, Zero, do you want to come over?" Kaname asked casually as he tried to calm his body down. How could Zero always get him all worked up so fast without even trying?

"I suppose I could. If you really don't mind that is." Zero tried not to sound eager; he was really looking forward to seeing the pureblood today for some reason.

"I don't mind at all. I can have my driver come get you so don't worry about walking." Kaname didn't want to sound forward or giddy but he felt as if he were failing.

"Sounds fine, but can you come in an hour? I still need to finish my work that _you _assigned." Zero chuckled when Kaname cursed himself on the other end. _"Why did I give homework on the weekends?" _

"That's what you get for assigning homework on the weekends you jerk." Zero joked playfully. Kaname sighed and had to give in to laughing.

"Okay, it is my fault. Though, if I were you I'd watch what I say because trust me, if I assigned you detention things could easily get carried away if you get stuck in a classroom with me after school…alone." Kaname purred dreamily. Zero swallowed roughly and exhaled shakily. "I'll let you go then. See you a little later." Kaname smirked, fully aware of the effect he had on the boy.

"See you then." Zero sounded breathless and couldn't deny the pleasurable image the popped into his head.

*********************

Zero considered putting on a jacket of some sort to hide the telltale signs of a boy being abused, but putting on a jacket proved to be too painful after he weakly floundered a bit, trying to put his hand into the other sleeve. Giving up, Zero tossed the jacket onto his bed.

He had already called his father and requested to go to the library- which his father permitted with a grunt and hung up quickly. He took his extra set of keys that was on his desk and pocketed them swiftly. Rose sat on Zero's bed throughout the whole ordeal, looking at him with her head tilted in curiosity. Zero petted her head, scratching behind her ears until her leg began to twitch in satisfaction. Bending down to put on shoes was pretty uncomfortable, but Zero managed well enough, and was taking it easy on the stairs going down to keep the vibrations on his spine to a minimum.

Stepping outside, Zero was suddenly glad that he had decided not to wear a jacket because it was hot and humid. Summer was still in full force. He figured he should walk to the corner where Kaname always parked. Rounding the corner, he spotted an old man in butler-like clothing standing next to a black stretch limousine. When he spotted Zero he nodded his head in greeting.

"You must be Kiryu Zero." The man opened the car door and held it open with a quick bow. Zero blinked questioning.

"Uh, how did you know that?" Zero could have been any random guy taking a stroll in the neigborhood.

"The Master informed me about your appearance. Silver hair, lilac eyes ect…" The old man's voice sounded gruff. Zero could tell he wasn't a vampire of any kind. Zero only nodded in understanding and climbed into the air conditioned car. The door closed softly behind him and in seconds they were moving. Zero began to feel nervous about seeing Kaname. The man was so unpredictable at times. He closed his eyed and laid his head back. He enjoyed the soft hum of the motor and the gentle glide of car.

**-**

**-**

**- **

Zero arrived at a luxury penthouse. One with 20,000 expansive square foot, including 29,000 square foot of terrace. It had to be one of the largest personal residences in Tokyo. The house was a beautiful light cream with outlines of brown thrown in. Zero didn't have enough time to stop his admiring before the sweet ivory door opened and Kaname's beautiful smiling face suddenly won his interest over the house.

"Hey." Kaname greeted but frowned when he saw the boys lip was split again. Zero couldn't help but think it was a little odd to see the pureblood in such casual clothes. A simple blue button down shirt with two buttons unbuttoned and a pair of black pants. But, Zero also couldn't help but to think that it made him look even more attractive.

"Hi." Zero said shortly. It was clear to him what the pureblood was thinking about. Zero stepped inside the house when Kaname stepped aside, glad to feel the air conditioning hitting his sudden headed skin. Zero turned to see Kaname shut the door without looking behind him.

"Does it still hurt?" he asked softly, stepping close and bringing his hand up to cup his chin. His eyes were on Zero's lips and he felt himself blush from the realization of how Kaname was going to heal him.

"Only if I smile but other than that, it's just an annoying ach." Zero stated, watching Kaname's beautiful eyes skim up to his lavender ones. He leaned down slightly, and Zero eyes fluttered shut as Kaname very lightly touched his lips to his. The clear blue light shown dimly in the well lit room and Zero relaxed as the pain started to subside from the tingling sensation.

It was such a gentle, affectionate touch that Zero could feel his eyes stinging. Kaname pulled back while brushing his thumb over his cheek purposefully.

"Is it better?"Kaname licked his lips tasting Zero's sweet unique taste. Zero swallowed and nodded his head shortly.

"Yes. Thanks, Kaname."

"Any place else that needs healing?" Kaname asked carefully. Zero looked away shyly. He was still in pain down _there _but he would not let the pureblood heal him in that place.

"I'm fine. So, can I have a grand tour now?" Zero asked innocently. Kaname smiled and led him away from the door entry and further into the penthouse. Zero looked around curiously. "If you don't mind me asking, how much did you spend to buy this apartment?" Zero had been rich his whole life but never had he seen such luxury in an apartment. Penthouses were very convenient.

"I don't mind. It was only $**49,000,000 complete with six bedrooms and 8to4 bathrooms." Kaname informed. Zero, being used to having and talking about big amounts of money, nodded and allowed Kaname to show him around. The dining room had a beautiful mahogany set with bamboo decorations. The living room was complete with an **exclusive Zacara Collection and a warm fireplace. In the middle of the room was an old style Eden cocktail table.

Everything was styled with rare pieces such as paintings, vases and furniture. Zero felt as if he were touring the Queen of England's palace. The Master bedroom (Kaname's room) was the Villa Valencia Grande Marble Low Poster Bedroom Set- Classic Chestnut Finish with a balcony. The following rooms consist of Mar-a-Lago Verona Panel Beds Sets and Cortina Sleigh-Gondola Bedroom Set -Honey Walnut Finish. To finish it all, the bathrooms were all marbled polished with Jacuzzis and the kitchen was all a black and silver marbled design. Finally, Kaname showed Zero his office on the first level. He kept his desk and computer by the window and a wall of books made up his walls. His TV was still on, tuned to CNN. Homework was spread on the black desk, half-graded.

"Oh, did I come at a bad time? Do you still need to finish grading?" Zero felt a little awkward since the homework was a physical reminder that Kaname was his teacher. Kaname walked past Zero threw the doorway to his desk, gathering up the papers and putting them into his briefcase.

"No, I can finish them tomorrow. Please do not worry about it." Kaname requested with a smile. Zero felt his cheeks flare up again, and let his eyes wander to the television. "_Right now, I'd normally be watching HBO or something...and he's watching the news. I feel like such a child."_

Kaname looked at Zero as he glanced at the TV and closed up his briefcase. Setting his briefcase against the legs of the desk, Kan straightened up, catching Zero's attention.

"Turn around." His voice unintentionally come out sounding like an order. Kaname walked over to him and stopped. Zero looked up at him hesitantly, not knowing what he wanted. He trusted him, though, and obediently turned around. Zero felt Kaname's fingers on the hem on his shirt, and his shoulders tensed up. Kaname pulled the shirt up slowly, trying not to put pressure on his tender skin. Zero didn't see it but Kaname bared his fangs-full length- and growled a real threatening growl. It was hard to find any patch of skin that wasn't discolored. He saw patched of purple, yellow, blue and dark brown. Kaname didn't think it was nearly this bad. He pulled the shirt up more and winced when he saw how far and long they starched.

"Zero, I know this isn't what you want to hear but I can't do this anymore. It's too much for me. I'm going to kill your father _today _if it's the last thing I do." Kaname let his shirt go and took as step back as Zero whipped around.

"What?! No, Kaname, you promised me! You said you would give me more time!" Zero said desperately. He saw the half-concerned, half-angry look on Kaname's face that matched his earlier commanding tone.

"I have given you time Zero. Your father needs more help than his son recommends! This is a game I'm tired of playing; turning a blind eye, sneaking you away from him, seeing new bruises almost every damn day! I hate seeing you hurt then I hate myself for not doing anything about it when I can. No more Zero, game over." Kaname was staring intensely at Zero with knitted brows. Zero's head was hung low and for a full minute, he didn't move an inch.

Soon, however, a tear fell from behind his bangs and Kaname instantly had the fallen ex-hunter in his soothing arms. _"I won't let him hurt you anymore." _For a while they just stood there imbruing each other. Zero sniffled quietly before speaking.

"Okay, but I'd rather do this the human way and let the cops settle this." Zero looked up with teary eyes, pleading with the pureblood. Kaname smiled shakily; at least Zero was finally willing to do something about it and seek outside help. Kaname pulled his hand up and wiped away the moisture from the boy's cheeks.

"Alright, what time does he get home?" Kaname asked gently, knowing the boy was still silently crying when he buried his face in Kaname's neck, making his reply sound muffled.

"Three thirty." Kaname turned his head slightly to glance at the clock on the wall. His father would be home in half an hour, meaning he had to call the police now and take Zero home. _"This Saturday is going to be the longest." _

_---Saturday, around dinner time---_

Confronting Zero's father had been a very ugly experience. Kaname called the police to tell them what had been happening, and Zero pretty much evaded his father's stare during the entire conversation. After hanging up, they drove back to Zero's house, not speaking to each other for the whole drive. The tension was obviously there. Miss Misaki was stirring some stew to prepare for dinner when Zero arrived with Kaname. She was confused, especially since Zero didn't have any friends. The police were there perhaps only a minute later. Miss Misaki actually seemed relieved to see them. Throughout the next hour, she glanced askance at Kaname several times, either glad that he was able to do what she couldn't or jealous that he was the one who had the guts to do it. All the maids were interviewed and held for questioning.

The two police officers that came, along with a social worker, were the ones to break the news to Zero's father that he was in serious trouble for what had been happening over the past years. He was upset at first, not angry, but embarrassed, ashamed, and regretful. When the social worker told him that Zero would have to live with someone else until he graduated from high school or until he proved that he was competent again, that's when Zero's father became irate and livid. The two officers had to cuff him to a chair while he yelled at the social worker, then at Miss Misaki, and then angrily put Kaname through an inquisition as to how he was involved anyway. He never yelled at Zero though. The social worker had asked Zero's father if Zero had any relatives in the area he could stay with but the only relatives they had were strangers overseas from his mom side. That's when they turned to Kaname.

"Would it be all right if Kiryu san stayed with you for a while, Kuran san? It would be a temporary solution until further…"

"That is perfectly fine with me." Kaname said before the social worker lady could finish. She adjusted her glasses and bowed lowly.

"Thank you for your cooperation sir. It is most appreciative and helpful." Just then Zero come back into the room from questioning and was assured over by the social worker.

"You're lucky to have such a kind sensai kid." Zero grumbled something that sounded like _"Your fucking shorter _than_ me twit." _But she didn't hear. Zero was grateful that was helping him but he just didn't like to be called _that._ "So the arrangements are that you will be staying with your sensai temporarily either until you finish high school or if we could get in touch with your relatives overseas. Your father will get his first hearing in front of a judge within the next month or so. I'm sorry, Kiyru san, but we will only allow phone contact between the two of you and…" Zero zoned the rest out. All he could take in was the fact that…._"I'm staying with Kaname?!" _

_---Midnight, Saturday---_

The amount of paperwork, crying, and yelling that had commenced after the social worker landed her sentence on Zero's father had given everyone there a raging headache, including the two police officers. Zero packed up some clothes and his schoolbooks under the watchful eye of a police officer while the other officer kept her father downstairs. After the social worker was satisfied, she made sure that Zero and the belongings that he had packed were in Kaname's car. Though it was certainly painful, Zero father had to stand at the door rather than say good-bye to his son. He raised an eyebrow when he saw a small puppy shacking and being carried by Zero, though, he didn't say anything about it. His father could only watch as his son and a pureblood vampire drove away. Zero watched her father's silhouette in the side mirror as Kaname pulled down the driveway, and knew his heart was probably breaking. "_I'm sorry, father."_

_*****************************_

**Hey everyone, short chapter ne? Anyway I really wanted to get this out because it was going to get too long if I didn't stop. So anyway REVIEW and tell me what you think. I'm going to post the next chapter of this this week (I'm going to try) Don't be lazy and feed me with Reviews HEHE I'm just soo happy I'm not SICK anymore ^^ I hope Zero won't be uncomfortable when he finds out that Kaname lives with noble class vampires. And when will Kaname give Zero his blood? Will Zero be healed or will things become a whole lot worse? Will Rose adjust to her new life of freedom or will she routinely hide under Zero's new bed? UNTIL THEN!**

**^stallion14^ **


	5. Kaname say's it's important to be strong

**A/N: Hello everyone. Now before you all go down my throat please let me tell you guys that it is not my fault (not entirely though) but my dad held my laptop hostage for some time now because of grades. He was nice enough to let me have it back over thanksgiving break but I have to give it back when school starts which is this Monday. As soon as I get back on track with school work-and am able to keep it that way- then you all will be seeing a lot more of me ^^Promise! Also I got a little help with the sad but sweet Kaname and Zero moment. **

**WARNING: ****Nothing too serious in the chapter. Language, touchy feely ect. You have been warned.**

**SUMMARY: "I know what he did to you but trust me, I will **_**never **_**hurt you the way he did." "But it hurts Kaname. It hurts to forget. I don't think I can ever heal…" "Zero, please be strong for me." Zero's at a lost and needs Kaname more than ever. Only Kaname can help, only Kaname can heal his sadden bruises and help him to become stronger. Also, meet the nobles Zero Kun!**

**CHAPTER: Kaname say's it's important to be strong **

*******************

By the time they reached Kaname's Penthouse, it was nearing midnight and Zero was exhausted. He hadn't slept well the night before, his body was still tender, and the emotional strain of the day had drained the last ounce of energy he possessed. The car ride had also been extremely awkward and silent, but once Zero saw Kaname's house, the sleepiness of what felt like ten years of wakefulness hit him dead on. He was finding it hard to even keep his eyes open as the smooth motion of the care lulled him into much needed sleep. And what was worse, that awful feeling was back in his chest again.

**______**

The next time Zero awoke, he was being gently sat down on the most soft and lush bed he had ever been on before. He could feel strong arms move from his waist to his shoulders the gripped them lightly.

"Zero? Open your eyes for me, please."

Zero could hear the faint voice-like-whispered. It sounded so sweet and sincere the Zero found himself falling into a deeper sleep.

When Zero's head drooped and his body began to sag more noticeable, Kaname's grip on his shoulders tightened to support him better and began to shake the boy a little.

"Zero, would you like to sleep on your stomach?" Kaname quietly asked -so as not to startle the boy. The only answer he received was a soft moan that he figured was a positive answer. Kaname nodded and glanced down at Zero's simple white shoes, Kaname instructed Zero to say upright while he would remove his shoes for him. Kaname slowly let go of Zero's shoulders and sighed in relief when he did stay up right. Kneeling down, Kaname untied both strings on each shoe and slid then off, setting them to the side.

"Pants…off." Zero mumbled somewhat groggily, sounded like a person talking in their sleep. Kaname's heartbeat picked up a little at that, and he looked up at Zero's face. His eyes were still closed, and he looked a little miffed that he couldn't go to sleep now rather than later. Before Kaname could do anything, Zero sighed from the fact that his pants were still on and began to fumble for the button on his pants and popped it out, unzipping the zipper. Kaname helped him stand up, and Zero held onto his shoulders for support as Kaname pulled his pants down his thighs for him. Kaname felt a stir in his lower stomach h and clenched his teeth in shame. He couldn't help himself! Zero was so tempting all the time and being in this current situation wasn't helping either. Zero was so tired that he didn't care who was helping him undress, and stepped out of his pants once they reached the floor. Then crawling over the bed behind him, Zero lowered himself onto his stomach with a sigh and was asleep in a few seconds. Kaname shakily went to his drew and pulled out a thick quilt and draped it over the sleeping teen. He stayed there for a while, rubbing and caressing the silver strands that captivated his interest with its unbelievable softness. Zero purred lightly in his sleep. Kaname smiled warmly, really, why would anyone ever want to hurt such a gently creature like Zero -ex-human or not.

Kaname could feel the nobles downstairs becoming restless. They were on edge because there was an ex-human in Kaname sama's home and what was even more baffling was that Kaname had arrived home carrying the ex-human in his arms ever so gentle, ignoring their questions, order them to get the ex-human's bags out of the car, showing no signs of telling them anything, a mutt whimpering and hastily scurrying by Kaname sam's feet and lastly, warning them that he would not tolerate them harming, disrespecting, or acting coldly to their new house occupant.

Kaname caressed Zero's cheek lovingly with an emotion he didn't understand that he felt hugging his heart tightly but not in a painful or uncomfortable way, actually, he realized he loved the feeling. He sighed and reluctantly pulled his hand away and stood up, heading towards the door. He cast one last look in Zero's direction before closing the polished door behind him quietly and headed downstairs. He could already feel a strong headache coming on. He was pretty tires himself but there were still things he needed to take care of. _"This is a long Saturday." _

_---10:00am, Sunday---_

Zero knew when he woke up the day would be awkward at first, and then weird...and then he might get used to living with his teacher…or _lover_. He felt very relaxed but still a little stiff, but not nearly as sensitive as the day before. Zero stretched comfortable on the king sized bed that was loaded with smooth pillows and silky sheets. He knew that Kaname had not slept with him, but it was obvious that this was his bedroom. It smelled like his natural scent, just like how it smelled after a stormy raining night with honey suckles sprouting after the storm ends, and Zero loved the fact that he had slept with Kaname's smell all around him, with his bed beneath him, and with his blanket warming him, hugging his body comfortable like a warm cocoon. He _really_ didn't want to get up but he knew he had to. Sighing, he sat up with his back against the headboard and looked around the large room. He noticed that his things were neatly assembled against the far wall by –what he assumed- the closet door. He also noticed his pants were neatly folded on top of one of his suit cases and his shoes were next to his things as well.

Finally, after observing the room with what he could see- he stood up from bed and made his way over to a particular small bag that contained his hygiene materials and took out his favorite shower gel. He opened a door by chance and was rewarded with the bathroom. Closing the door after himself, he turned on the shower head and began to shed his clothing one by one. Zero couldn't help but roll his eyed at the conditions of the bathroom; surely it was made for royalty.

Zero showered quickly, not wanting to dawdle just in case he was pushing his welcoming. Rinsing the suds off his body and scrubbing his hair clean, Zero turned off the shower head and found a towel in the cabinet on the right side of the shower and wrapped it around his waist. Geez, did everything the pureblood own have to feel so comfortable?

Grabbing his almost empty shower gel, he was about to open the door when Kaname suddenly stepped in, running his fingers through his hair in a sleepy manner. He paused in surprise when he came face to face with the man of his obsession. Zero almost yelped but instead tried to take a step back. Without skipping a beat, Kaname leaned over and planted a soft kiss on Zero's cheek.

"Good morning." Kaname mumbled in a husky –sleepy- sounding- voice. A quick shiver ran down Zero's spine from that voice that sounded naturally seductive, but, Zero blamed it on the cool breeze waffled into the bathroom from the open door.

"Morning." Zero responded almost shyly. Kaname smiled lazily and stepped around him to get to the sink. He splashed cold water on his face and mumbled incoherent words. Zero held back his laughter and excited the bathroom and closed the door to give himself and Kaname some privacy. He immediately searched his suitcase for something to wear for the day. He selected a loosely fitting gray shirt, dark blue pants and a pair of grey boxers. He slid on undergarment then dropped the towel and finished dressing. Soon he heard the shower turn on again and blushed when a very vivid image of a dripping wet Kaname surfaced in his head.

**-**

**-**

**_**

Kaname, as he wet his hair underneath the showerhead, could distinctly smell Zero's body wash, and it made his heart beat heavier because of it. The water slowly woke him up as he lathered his hair, which was a good thing since his half-sleepy mind was much better at fantasizing than his conscience-ridden mind...and fantasizing in a shower with Zero's smell and plenty of soap wasn't a good idea.

**-**

**-**

**_**

Zero realized that he still needed to finish his hygienic routine which consists of brushing his teeth, grooming his hair and putting on deodorant. For the mean time he decided it was a good idea to tidy up Kaname's bed since he had slept in it last night. Once the shower turned off, Zero's heartbeat picked up, knowing that Kaname was walking around nude beyond the door next to him. It was a very surreal feeling, actually. He was surprised when the door open rather soon after the water stopped. Kaname stepped out, dripping water and holding a towel around his hips. Zero stammered for a couple of seconds, not expecting a half-naked, wet man to come out when he thought he might dress in the bathroom. Then realization stuck and Zero wanted to smack himself for forgetting that Kaname's clothes were in the room that he was currently occupying, so Kaname couldn't get his clothes to change into if he were there.

"I--just need to finish up and…"Zero began, feeling a hot blush rise in his cheeks. He saw Kaname's eyes travel over his person, taking in his outfit, roving his body, giving him _that _look. His teaching was basically eye humping him unintentionally.

"That's fine. After I dress I will wait for you…you look nice today, Zero." Kaname added, letting a tiny smirk tilt his lips. Kaname walked closer to the nervous teen and lightly kissed his cheek again. "Better yet, meet me downstairs in the kitchen, and then we can have my famous Sunday breakfast together." Kaname murmured hotly in the boy's ear. Zero shivered visible and quickly nodded his head and untangled himself from Kaname's light hold. He grabbed his small bag full of his bathroom supplies and disappeared behind the door. Kaname smiled adoringly. He was so lucky that Zero came into his life.

Zero finished up in the bathroom and walked back into the abandoned room and discarded his things next to his suitcase. He hoped he could remember were the kitchen was located from his earlier tour. He walked into the hallway were the carpet turned a different color, a soft blue and silver that danced through the entire hallway. He faintly heard notices coming from downstairs and decided to just follow them hoping it would lead him to Kaname.

Heading down the elegant, but not grand, staircase, Zero could hear a TV on somewhere, but not in the back room of the house. Following the sound to the kitchen, Zero found Kaname mixing something in a bowl. There, plucked into the wall above the counter top, was a wide screen TV turned to CNN. Zero was mildly shocked to find Kaname in a dark blue button down color shirt and a pair of black pants. Zero suddenly couldn't decide whether or not he was hungry for food...or for him. Upon hearing Zero's light footsteps, Kaname turned slightly, breaking his gaze away from the latest headlines on CNN.

"So, even rich people like you can dress casually huh?" Zero's tone was light and playful making Kaname boom at the radiance that Zero seemed to be giving off.

"Hey. Did you sleep okay?" Kaname had his full attention and Zero which brought a light flush to his cheeks. He was used to people staring at him but when Kaname did it…it was _different. _

"Yes, sorry for taking over your room like that last night. Where did you sleep?"

"In Kain's room." Suddenly, Kaname realized that he may have not told Zero about the croup of nobles that were staying with him.

"Kain?" Zero's face scrunched into confusion. Was their other living here as well? Well, there were a total of six rooms. He was sure they weren't just for decoration either.

"I sincerely apologize, Zero. I have neglected to inform you about the noble's that are staying with me."Kaname began to stir the white mushy substance in the bowl again. "There are a total of six nobles. Aidou Hanabusa, Akatsuki Kain, Ichijou Takuma, Shiki Senri, Souen Ruka and Touya Rima. They are my most trusted group of friends so do not be afraid of them." Zero scoffed. Him? Afraid of nobles? Never.

"Wait, you said there were six nobles, but there are only six rooms though." Zero sat on the bar stool as he watched the pureblood.

"Two of them, I guess you can say, are a couple. Shiki Senri and his lover Ichijou Takuma, they share the same room and practically live off of each other." Zero –_Oh'd _in understanding.

"When can I meet them?" Zero wasn't really anxious to meet them; really he just wanted to know who he was going to be living around. He needed to know what type of person each of them was. Kaname chuckled, clearly understanding what Zero meant by that.

"Well, unlike me, they sleep on vampire time so you won't be able to meet them until later on tonight. Trust me; they are as ready to meet you as you are."

"Should I be worried?" Zero asked sarcastically.

"No. Not at all." Kaname smiled that handsome smile that Zero became so found of.

They sat there for a while. Zero watching Kaname and Kaname watching Zero out of the corner of his eyes. They couldn't help it; they were just so drawn to each other like a moth to a light.

"I take it that you're not a morning person?" Zero broke the comfortable silence without spoiling the atmosphere between them two.

"Yes, sorry about that." Kaname chuckled, sounding like sweet music to Zero's ears. "Even before I trained myself to wake during human times, I was still not a 'morning' person. It's embarrassing really."

"I find it to be entertaining." Zero half joked.

"Well, I am happy to have entertained you in anyway." Kaname finished stirring his concoction and sat in on the counter.

"Hungry?" Kaname unconsciously placed his hand on Zero's and rubbed his thump in a smoothing notion over the teens' skin. Zero, however, was very aware of it, and could feel his body reacting very easily to Kaname's touch even though he really wasn't doing anything. Zero cleared his throat in hope to distract himself from Kaname's insistent hand.

"Yes, are you making your famous Sunday breakfast?" Zero asked, curious about the batter in the bowl in front of him. Zero leaned his head over to get a better look at it, and was a little disappointed when Kaname's hands stopped moving on his skin.

"Correct. It's pancakes." Kaname walked over to the black doubled door refrigerator and began taking other ingredients out.

"That's your famous Sunday breakfast?" Zero asked somewhat skeptically without trying to be rude. Kaname came back carrying a bag of blueberries, starwberries, chocolate, pairs, and apples. He sat it all on the counter and smiled warmly at his silvered haired companion.

"Of course. But there not _just _pancakes, there Kaname's pancakes." Kaname corrected, playfulness practically dripping from his voice. Zero chuckled at that and shook his head.

"Pancakes sounds."

"What kind do you want?" Kaname said all of the options. "Or you can have a mixture of them all or…" Kaname trailed off, waiting expectantly. For some reason Kaname felt extremely excited to be cooking for Zero.

"Um, it doesn't matter. Anything will be fine…" Zero got up from his seat. "Can I go call my father? I just…just need…." Zero stood there looking at the marbled floor, fidgeting a little. After not getting an answer, Zero looked up and saw a slight change in Kaname's face, not quite sure what it was, but not willing to analyze everything Kaname did, lest he go insane from thinking too hard about everything. Kaname told him to use the phone in his bedroom if he wanted, and Zero tossed a grateful smile back at him as he left to go back upstairs.

Re-entering Kaname's bedroom, Zero could smell his natural scent more strongly. He had almost forgotten why he came back in the room in the first place. He shook his head to clear it and walked to the nightstand and pulled the receiver off the hook, sitting down as he brought it to his ear. Pressing the numbers for his own home, Zero waited for only one ring.

_**"Zero?! Zero, is that you?"**_ Zero's father's voice sounded frantic--or desperate. Zero then realized that his dad hadn't called him by name in such a long time.

"It's me, father," Zero answered, hearing a relieved sigh on the other side of the phone. "Are you okay, Father? I know you're upset with me, but..."

"_**I'm fine son. How are you? Is that pureblood working out okay?"**_Zero was almost taken aback. His father sounded so caring and worried. Sure he didn't understand why a pureblood would ever take pity on an ex-human and go through all this trouble for him, but Kaname was being very supportive right now when he needed it most.

"He's fine, father. He's...nice. He's even cooking for me."

_**"Zero, I would have gotten help if you had asked me...they took you away son,"**_his father answered, sounding pathetic and defeated. His voice was as old as he looked the night he vented his anger on his back. It held too much grief and bad experiences, making it sound low and rough.

"Father, I--I was afraid to ask...I felt like you'd do something to me if I caught you in the wrong mood. I--I'm sorry, father," Zero said, feeling his throat clog up a bit. He heard his father sigh again.

_**"Zero...I should be the one apologizing...I just get so **__**angry**__** sometimes. God...I didn't need this right now."**__ He doesn't need this right now?!_ _**"All of this is just piling on top of losing the case...it's too much."**_

"What's that supposed to mean?! I p--put up with you for all those years after my mother died, and when I couldn't take it any more--you--you don't _need_ this right now?! H--how much longer did you need t--to beat me up before I could g--get help?!"Zero argued, barely able to speak in an effort to keep himself from crying. He was done crying damn it! He was done with his so called father as well.

_**"Zero, please I--I didn't mean it that way! It just seems to get worse and worse and--Son, I--"**_ Zero cut him off, not able to control himself any more. He felt like paying him pack for everything he had done to him.

"Don't call me son! What makes you think you can start calling me that _now_?! How could you?! You were supposed to be my _**father**_!! H--how c--could you?! I hate you and I'm done with you!"Zero screamed into the phone. It wasn't his intentions to let the other's in the house over hear him but he just couldn't control himself at the moment.

_**"P--please! Please, Zero don't**_--" Before Zero's father could say anything more, Zero slammed the phone down, bolding his fist until they were white and clenched his teeth to keep from crying. His father couldn't make him cry anymore, he was going to be strong.

But his world was crashing down upon him, and nothing could stop it. He felt Kaname sit down next to him and his arms come around him. Zero allowed himself to lean against him; he vaguely heard a few hushes. Kaname's left hand was resting on his far hip, and Zeros' heart ached a little.

"Zero." Kaname said quietly.

"It's always going to be like this. I'm always going to get hurt." Zero said weakly. He could feel a low growl in Kaname chest as it rumbled against his ear.

"I know…I know what he did to you but trust me, I will _never_ hurt you the way he did."

"But…"

"Just try to forget about the thing that happen and try to move on, Zero."

"But it hurts Kaname, it _hurts _to forget. I don't think it's possible for me to ever heal." Zero scooted closer to Kaname, finding safety in his warmth and his nearness. "I told my father I hated him. He won't want to speak to me ever again. I will be alone again." Zero said pathetically.

"You'll get strong for me and then you won't feel like you're alone. You'll always be with me, Zero." Kaname whispered gently next to his ear as he comforted him.

"I c—can't do it." Zero gritted his teeth, feeling near tears that he promised not to shed. "I don't know how to ignore this feeling of loneliness. It hurts." Kaname could feel Zero bold up as if he wanted to get into a fetal position.

"You're going to become strong. I can put my trust in that. You will show your father that he cannot destroy you and show him what power truly is."

"Kaname." Zero almost whimpered.

"I know you feel like you're alone but you cannot be afraid anymore. I'm here for you so please, be strong for me."

"Why? No one cares about me. They all hate me." Zero pushed himself more into Kaname's chest, no longer caring how weak or afraid he appeared.

"More the reason to show them how strong you are. To show them that their words can't breach you. Don't let them make you weak." Zero opened his eyes that he didn't realize he closed as he felt Kaname murmur in his ear. His voice was soft and silky.

Zero finally stared up into the cold chocolate eyes before him. It seemed for a time that he was in a trance. Kaname continued to rub his sides soothingly while pulling him closer.

"Do I frighten you?" Zero answered negatively while offering a small innocent smile to the pureblood.

"Become strong for me then." He chuckled as Zero gave him a confused look.

"But why? You're already strong... why would you want anything to do with me?"

"You'll just have to get strong and find out." Zero nodded his head, feeling a whole lot better than before.

Besides Kaname's alluring scent, Zero smelled something else that made his stomach growl in hunger. He looked to the nightstand where two buttered-up, syrup-drenched strawberry/ blueberry pancakes awaited him. A glass of orange juice sat next to the plate.

"You should eat that." Kaname suggested with a never ending smile on his face. Zero looked back at Kaname with a smile of his own.

"Thanks Kaname, for everything you have done for me." Zero said sincerely. Not being able to help himself, Kaname leaned down and pressed a kiss to Zero's tempting mouth and pulled away just as quick. He leaned Zero back up to a sitting position and 'brought' the plate over, setting it on Zero's lap. Kaname stayed with Zero in his time of need while he ate, keeping an arm around his waist and rubbing the arm pressed to his side possessively. Once Zero swallowed the last bite, Kaname 'put' the plate back on the nightstand.

"Aren't you going to eat?" Zero asked, realizing it was a bit too late to ask that.

"I will later but for now you need more rest." He urged Zero to drink some of the orange juice and then instructed him to lie down.

"But I don't want to take over your room again and make you sleep in someone else's. That's not right." Zero said, looking up at Kaname's well-toned figure, which looked very good in his halfway buttoned down shirt. Kaname's hair looked especially touchable underneath the softer indoor light, and his hands twitched to do so.

"It's alright. Besides, I like having you sleep in my bed." Kaname said in a husky voice, giving Zero a pointed stare. Zero's cheek flushed warmly and he dropped his gaze before Kaname could see. Kaname loved making Zero blushed, it was very enjoyable.

He instructed Zero to lie down again as he pulled the covers back, and he complied. Zero lay on his back this time and felt the bed surround him with warmth silkiness. Kaname pulled the silk covers over him and braced his hands on either side of Zero's head.

"Th—thanks again, Kaname," Zero said, knowing that he was about to kiss him and a little embarrassed by it. His hands twitched, wanting to touch Kaname's hair, and then everywhere else on his body. Kaname leaned down, pressing his lips against his expecting ones. Zero's mouth automatically opened when Kaname ran his tongue over his bottom lip, and he slipped his tongue inside, languidly rubbing it everywhere that was sensitive. Zero sighed, suddenly feeling hot, and slipping his hands to Kaname's shoulders, then smoothing up his neck, over his ears, and through his springy, soft hair. Kaname couldn't pull himself away for a full minute, needing this kiss to last for a while. When he finally pulled away, Zero's mouth followed for a few inches before he dropped his head back to the pillow.

"Sleep it off, okay? I'll check on you once in a while," he said, and licked his lips, tasting Zero on them.

Zero agreed and watched Kaname leave the room, closing the door behind him. _"Kaname, what would have done without you?" _

_---Later---_

Zero awoke from his nap with slight confusion. He normally didn't take naps but his body had over exerted itself in the last couple of hours so it was understandable. Zero turned his head to look at the clock: 9:48 PM. Though he knew he should be shocked, he was too tired to care. He heard a sound coming from the bathroom, and Kaname soon appeared, wearing only dark blue boxers. He paused in surprise when entering the room.

"You're awake? That's good. You were worrying me for a little bit. Are you still tired?" he asked, walking over to his closet.

"Yeah. I feel like I could sleep for another twelve hours," Zero confesses, rubbing at his eyes. When his eyes focused again, he blushed at seeing Kaname's fully naked muscled back. Kaname emerged from out of the closet a white shirt for himself and a pair of sleeping shorts for Zero. Zero caught the shirts throw his way and changed into them quickly while still in bed and let his jean fall to the floor. He then watched as the pureblood lifted the shirt over his arms. His muscled rippled and beautifully moved over his bones and under skin. Zero snapped his eyes away when the shirt was completely on.

"The nobles will be awake in a couple of hours. You can meet them today if you're still up to it." Kaname walked the rest of the distance to the bed and put a hand on Zero's head to check his temperature. "You look feverish, are you alright, Zero?" Kaname asked with great concern.

"I'm fine." Zero said a little too quickly. He was just a little embarrass to be around the pureblood so much. He kind of made him nervous for some reason. Kaname trailed his hand to his cheek then to his next and then his chest.

"You're pretty hot thought. Are you sure you're alright?" Kaname brows came together in concern.

"I'm fine." Zero said again and inched away from Kaname's instating hand. Kaname took that as a hint and kept his hand to himself.

"We will be going to St. Yomiuri around eight tomorrow, so it's good that you're resting up."

"Right! I almost completely forgot about that." Zero said in shock, a little more awake but not much. Kaname smirked a bit.

"Well, that's understandable. I remembered for you though," he said, standing next to him. Zero suddenly wondered if he was going to sleep with Akatsuki Kain again. Zero didn't want to impose on him like that anymore.

"You can sleep in here if you want. It _is _your bed after all."

"That's fine. Though, Kain is a wild sleeper." Kaname mussed as if he were thinking about the time Kain kicked, slapped and drooled on him.

"Well..."Zero blushed, hoping Kaname didn't think he was too forward."You can sleep here anyway...with me." Zero watched his eyes get a little sleepy-looking. He looked...very male.

Kaname wasn't about to pass up this opportunity. He had walked around the whole day with a halfway-hard arousal, knowing that a young, beautiful boy was sleeping in his bed upstairs.

Nodding, he simply reached towards the lamp on the nightstand and turned the small knob, plunging the room into darkness. Zero felt the cover lift a little before he felt Kaname crawl over his into bed and settle down on his left. Zero's heart was beating heavily, but sleepiness was making his eyelids sag again. The rhythm of Kaname's heart beat lulled him to sleep once more his breathing. After that, he was out cold.

_---2:00am---_

Zero's mind was very fuddled when he had awareness of anything again. It was still dark and he was positive there were others awoke in the house now. He shifted, needing to lie on his stomach. It seemed natural to lie on Kaname's chest, to settle his cheek onto his shoulder and drape his thigh over his boxers. Kaname was an aware sleeper and he knew the second that Zero touched him. He moved his arm a bit, putting it around the ex-hunter's shoulders. Zero could smell his scent on his bare skin, which was clouding his mind, turning it to mush. He noticed that Kaname must have taken off his shirt sometime over night. Zero raised his head to land a quick kiss on his chin, but missed and kissed the side of his mouth. Feeling that he had to do it properly, Zero brushed his lips over Kaname's, but before he could lay his head down again, Kaname's hand was on the back of his head, encouraging Zero to continue kissing him. Zero never thought that he had the courage to start making out with Kaname...in his bed...at night...with him only wearing boxers.

Zero deepened the kiss a bit more, sleepily wondering how his lips could be so soft and so firm at the same time. His limbs moved a little restlessly then, and he slipped his tongue into Kaname's warm mouth. He tasted good...a little like mint.

Kaname had been close to going back to sleep after Zero shifted, but once he began to kiss him, he was fully awake. He let his hand grip the thigh across his lap, and realized that Zero was starting to rub himself against him, whether or not he knew it himself. The kiss kept intensifying as the seconds ticked by and they were soon breathing hard, adrenalins pumping. Kaname felt like his heart was going to burst out of his chest; it was pounding so loud. Zero wanted to feel more of Kaname underneath himself and decided to lie fully upon him. They were soon pelvis-to-pelvis chest-to-chest, Zero; having let his legs fall open over his hips. Kaname moved his hands to the backs of Zero's thighs, squeezing the smooth flesh while his mouth tasted every sweet crevice to be found between his lips. Kaname's manhood was reacting so quickly that he was gasping in the short seconds between kisses. _"__I can't let it go too far..." _

Zero loved how hard his body was. He lightly skittered his fingers up his trim sides, almost tickling him, and then rubbed his firm pectoral muscles, working his way down. Zero's sleepy muscles was getting tired from trying to support his own weight so he let his weight settle back on his elbows, which was enough for him to play with Kaname's unbelievable soft hair. He needed _more_ of the pureblood. That's when Kaname brought his knees up between Zero's legs, setting the bottoms of his feet flat on the bedspread. He pressed his very obvious arousal right where Zero needed it to be.

Zero pushed himself down against him, getting more excited as Kaname gripped his rear end in his strong hands and groaned. Zero took a break from their hot kiss, rubbing himself slowly over Kaname and feeling the same warm throbbing he had felt in the car. Kaname raised his hips when he could, trying to grind himself against the very center of him. He could hear Zero's soft, high little breaths and the small noises he made with every other buck of his hips.

"Is this what it might be like," Zero whispered, sounding breathless as he clenching one of his hands in Kaname's hair. He moved a little faster, rubbing against Kaname and feeling his own boxers becoming very damp.

"What's that?" Kaname asked in a sleep-roughened voice, wanting to hear him say it. He was almost rubbing Zero's rear, holding his backside tightly.

"Is this what it might be like to make love with you..._unhhh_,_ Kaname_..." Zero sighed, bucking hard against him. He could feel the jolts of pleasure coursing through his body. Moving his hands to Zero's luscious hips, Kaname helped him increase the pace, even though it was killing him not to plunge into him right then. Zero's aroused gasps and moans got higher and a little louder.

"_Ungh_...Zero..." Kaname groaned, never having been aroused like this in his life. Zero ground against him harder and faster. _Oh, God...Kaname, I'm so close._ His head started to swim and his torso tingled as if gathering electrical energy. It escalated and moved to the throbbing spot between his legs, pooling there and intensifying. Zero couldn't contain the little moans that squeezed past his clenched jaw. Stiffening over Kaname, Zero's climax clenched and unclenched the muscles of his thrilled body and pressed out the resultant pleasure-filled liquid.

"Oh God...mmhn..." Zero achingly sighed, rubbing a little bit more. Kaname, still hard, listened to Zero's orgasmic sighs, wishing he could be there with him. Zero relaxed over Kaname, content. He knew Kaname had not found his pleasure, though, as evidenced by the hardness still resting against him. Zero rose up on all fours and began to crawl back, going down Kaname's body. Kaname, glad that he wasn't going to have to sleep beneath him all night with a full-fledged arousal, moved up a bit, coming to a sitting position just in front of the pillows. Zero lied down on his stomach again, with Kaname's thighs supporting his arms. Slipping his fingers beneath the waistband of his boxers, Zero only had to pull them down a couple of inches before Kaname's hard length slid from underneath the cloth. Zero moved his tongue and lips over him, listening to his husky groans.

Kaname clenched his teeth as heat churned in his stomach. All it took was for Zero to tighten his lips harder on the next stroke, and Kaname climaxed, groaning Zero's name repeatedly as his seed throbbed and spilled out of him.

"...Zero…" Kaname fell back against the headboard, still holding fistfuls of silver hair. Zero wiped his lips, pulling himself back up his body. Kaname managed to get his head back on the pillow, but he was certainly a little tired again. Holding Zero close as he settled against his side, Kaname landed a kiss on his temple.

"G'nite Kana," Zero mumbled, draping his right arm and leg over Kaname and tucking his nose into the crook of his neck again. Zero's mind -fog only became thicker, and he was soon sleeping again. Kaname felt something in his heart shift, and held Zero a little tighter. "_He called me Kana..."_

* * *

"Kaname sama? Please forgive me for disturbing your rest but everyone is downstairs waiting." Ichijou informed on the other side of the door. He had to admit, he was pretty anxious to meet the man who had captured his best friends heart. He could feel the new comer's presence very strongly and he was extremely curious to find out about the boy. After all, he was taking care of his dog.

"Thank you." Was Kaname's only reply. Ichijou giggled happily and went downstairs to inform the other.

**-**

**-**

**_  
**

Thirty minutes later, Kaname and Zero were walking down the stairs together and heading towards the living room. Zero was very nervous. What if they didn't like him? What if they tried to kill him? He couldn't say he was afraid-because he wasn't- but he also couldn't say he was comfortable with being around so many vampires. Who could blame him? He still had hunter blood flowing through his veins.

"Do not worry yourself, Zero. They will respect you." Kaname said confidently. Zero only shrugged his shoulders as they rounded the corner. The living room came into view and the first thing Zero saw was a smiling blonde with green eyes.

"Hello! You of course must be Kiyru Zero ne? I'm Ichijou Takuma. It's nice to finally meet you!" Without being able to help himself, He threw his arms around Zero, giving him a bone crushing hug.

"Ah. Sorry sorry. Sometimes I get carries away." Takuma released him instantly and gave Kaname an apologetic look.

"It's alright." Zero never thought he would ever meet such a friendly vampire like Ichijou. "It's nice to meet you." Zero held out his hand. Takuma smiled and shook his hand.

"Kiyru Kun, this is my one and only Shiki Senri. He's a model by the way." Shiki held out his hand and shook. "He's not much of a talker, so don't feel put out." Ichijou whispered, as if no one could hear him.

"Moving along." He winked at his lover and grabbed Zero's hand, pulling him further into the room. Kaname watched closely by the doorway. It wasn't like he didn't trust them, he did, it was just that he didn't like leaving out of Zero's sight. "This is Shiki's modeling partner, Touya Rima."

"Hello Kiyru san." They shook hands and continued on.

"This short tempered stud over here is Aidou Hanabusa. You wouldn't want him to give you the _cold _shoulder if you know what I mean." Zero looked at Ichijou questionably but got no answer.

"Hi." Aidou said some-what rudely without giving so much as a hand shake. Zero glared at him, already knowing he wasn't going to like this guy. Ichijou laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head.

"Let's move on shall we?" Aidou felt himself shrinking under Zero glare. He hated him for that! Ichijou grabbed Zero's arm and let him to the next person.

"This is Aidou's cousin, Akatsuki Kain. Don't worry though, he's much nicer than Aidou."

"How's it going kid?" Kain offered a friendly hand. They shook hands briefly. Though, Zero scoffed at the kid comment.

"Oh trust me Kain, Zero isn't a child." Kaname's voiced had them all turn his direction.

"Oh Kaname! What a dog!" Ichijou complemented in laugher. Aidou _whatever'd _and turn his icy glare to Zero again. Zero paid him no attention and allowed Ichijou to pull him along.

"Last but not least, this is the lovely Souen Ruka."

"You're pretty cute for an ex-human." Was she _flirting?_

"It's a pleasure to meet you Souen san." Zero held out a hand.

"Oh no, the pleasures all mine Kiryu _sama_." She slithered her body close to his and nuzzled his neck affectionately while purring. "You smell _delicious_."Zero stiffened immediately. Was she going to bit him? Fear lashed in Zero's being like thunder zipping through his body. His hunter senses screamed danger but he couldn't move! Suddenly Zero felt himself being pulled back into a strong firm chest. He felt a powerful growl erupted from Kaname chest as arms tightened around his waist possessively.

"Ruka." Kaname snapped. She seemed to shrink back in a retreating manor.

"I'm so sorry Kaname sama. Please forgive me. I don't know what came over me!" she rushed to find the words.

"Kaname?" Zero tried to face the pureblood but his grip tightened. "Kaname it's alright." Zero turned as best as he could in the purebloods tight embrace and threw his arms around him. "I'm alright Kaname." Zero didn't want to look up because he knew that if he did, Kaname's eyes would be blazing like the fires of hell.

* * *

**Hi everyone! I'm going to end it there but don't worry. I have not and will not abandon my stories. That is not my intention what so ever. Sorry for any mistakes I clumsily made ^^**

**P.S I'm working on my other story as well. **

**REVIEW: I would love them. Until next time everyone !^^**

^stallion14^


	6. Father says it’s important to act right

**A/N: Hello everyone! Looking forward to this chapter ne? I am too! ^^ so anyway don't forget to feed my monster a review so It won't try to eat me at night *shiver* Onegaishimasu! (please). ****ALL THE YAOI FANS YELL REALLY LOUD FOR 5 SECONDS! XD seriously****! **

**IMPORTANT:****I, Stallion14, will be doing a shout out per chapter ^^. This very first shout out goes to *DRUM ROLL PLEASE!***** RukiRomance**** congratulations! I loved your review so much because it motivated me ^^ you also have some great stories that I enjoy reading so once again congratulations and thank you for the review ^^! **

**NOTE: don't worry, you don't have to be an author to get a shout out and I do love everyone's reviews so much. Thanks everyone. I wonder who will get my next shout out ne? **

**WARNING: Same as last time *wink* **

**SUMMARY: Zero and Kaname are in for one heck of a day. It can be fun or it can be sad. Well just read and find out ne? **

**CHAPTER: Father says it's important to act accordantly**

* * *

_-__--6:00am, Monday---_

Zero's eyes popped open at exactly six a.m. And when he woke up, he was _entirely_ awake. It was as if all the worries and stress that had exhausted him were washed out of his system, and he had new energy. The taste in his mouth was unpleasant for some reason though, and he needed to use the restroom. Zero looked up at the man he was practically laying on to see if he was asleep. His breathing was still even and Zero couldn't help but notice how warm Kaname felt. Guessing that Kaname was probably asleep, Zero slipped out of the purebloods bed and slightly unsteadily made his way to the bathroom after rifling through his still unpacked suitcase in the dark. Zero set a pile of clothing on the hamper against the wall and walked to the sink to begin brushing his teeth. A few minutes later, the taste was thankfully gone and he shed his clothes before turning on the shower.

Now that he had slept, he felt terrible for yelling at his father the way he did. "_I only snapped at him because I was tired and in a bad mood...he probably thinks that I really do hate him now."_ Zero knew that he might be frowned apuned if anyone caught him saying such treacherous words but he couldn't help it. Deep down he knew he would always love his father no matter what the man had done to him over the past years.

As he stepped into the standing shower, Zero contemplated calling his father again that evening, hoping to end the conversation without yelling or getting too emotional again. However, as he wet his hair under the stream of hot water, he realized that he didn't know how to begin the conversation. "_What can you say to someone after telling him that you hate them?"_ he tried to fight it, but a wave of self-pity was coming on, and he felt small and vulnerable all of a sudden. Squeezing some shampoo out of the bottle, he worked it into his hair, forcing himself to forget the painful memories that were clouding his mind and making it hard for him to concentrate on being happy. Looking at the blue marbled tiles inside the shower stall, Zero was reminded of the day when he first took a bath with his bay brother Ichiru. Yes, he knew Ichiru was his brother, how stupid do you have to be to not realize that the person who resembles you almost to the point couldn't possibly be blood related to you? Remembering the past was a painful ordeal. He could remember the chaos that occurred that night. All the yelling and all of the _blood_, all of the agony screams and two young twins desperately clinging to one another, begging not to be separated…

But Ichiru had his memories cleaned that night when he was taken away by the pureblood princess, Shizuka. His father seemed to relive in past years pain every time he saw Zero whom looked so much like his lost son. Zero wouldn't dare tell his father that Ichiru was attending the same school as he was. That would surely bring complications for Ichiru; he didn't want his little brother caught up in all this mess. Bowing his head under the spray with his right arm flat on the tile in front of him, he wasn't sure if it was the soap or shower mist, but his vision began to blur and his eyes stung. "_Don't cry. Don't cry!!" _Zero felt it; the sobs that were threatening to make him weak and mock him for his own childish fears, but he wouldn't let them slip, he refused to.

Later, as Zero wrapped a towel around his waist and ruffle the excess water out of his hair with a smaller towel, he couldn't help but check to make sure that his eyes weren't red from the stinging tears that he didn't let fall while he had been in the shower. Satisfied, he took the towel from around his waist and began to dry himself. Distantly hearing a few ruffling from the other side of the door indicated that Kaname was awake and moving around. Zero folded up the smaller towel and walked to the sink to brush his fingers through his hair before putting the now damped towel around his waist again. He had just rubbed his eyes again to positively make sure that he didn't look as if he were crying when he heard a soft knock on the door. Zero froze up, He wasn't sure if he wanted to say that he wasn't decent at the moment but knowing Kaname, it might actually prompt him to come in as an open invitation.

"Yeah?" Zero called then scolded when the door opened anyways. Kaname appeared in the doorway, squinting slightly as the bathroom light met his sensitive eyes. Zero's heart lurched from his chest when he saw the pureblood walk in with only his boxers on again. He blushed from the embarrassment over the kinky events that had taken place only a few hours ago before he met the nobles and picked up his pile of clothing that he didn't get a chance to actually put on, ready to leave. He was still extremely embarrassed to be near Kaname wearing only a towel.

"I'm done in here if you need to use the bathroom." Zero hoped Kaname's vision was still blurred since he had just woken up because he had no doubt that his face was bright red.

"Wait a moment," he said with a hard edge to his voice. Zero, who's back slightly facing Kaname, turned around and looked up into his chocolate eyes, willing himself to calm down. He really wanted to get dressed, especially since Kaname had let in the colder air when he had opened the door, but mostly, Zero was feeling insecure about how he looked since his skin hadn't quit healed completely. He still ached from time to time and still had a few bruises in places he never told Kaname about. The pureblood was staring intently at Zero whom looked confused.

"Turn around." Kaname said with a jaw clenching voice. For some reason he was obviously try not to yell. Zero blinked and did as Kaname said. "Is this new?" he asked, stepping closer and touching blue flesh that was sticking out from the towel on his lower back.

"It's been there this whole time," he answered quietly. "Anyway, it doesn't hurt too badly anymore to be completely honest with you." Zero prodded the skin slightly, proving to them both that the pain was fairly minimal.

Kaname, upon first spying the bruise, had gone from halfway sleepy to awake and livid. If anyone _ever_ hit his future mate again or even _tried_ it... The mere thought of Zero cringing in fear of a man's fist made Kaname angry enough to shatter that man's kneecaps and depart all of his finger and toes _slowly_. Kaname's eyes flared red just from the thought alone but quickly went back to its original color. But even as Zero tried to explain just how old the bruise was, Kaname shook his head, clearly not satisfied. _"Doesn't he realize were exactly these bruises came from?" _

"That's it...I want to make sure that you're not bruised anywhere else. Drop the towel." He said, crossing his arms. Zero blanched, backing up a step.

"Y-you want me to get naked?" Zero asked, incredulous. Surely Kaname was losing his mind if he thought he was going to get naked in front of him.

"I want to know where all of your bruises are so that I can heal them for you." he said, his vision clearing. His anger was dissipating and quickly being replaced by mischievous intentions. He tried not to smirk, but it was getting difficult as he continued to watch Zero's bewildered expression.

"I can't do that!" Zero said, eyes wide open and cheeks flaring red. "I know I was...forward last night, but I was half-asleep and--and you were warm and...I--I can't get naked in front of you Kaname!" Zero fisted his left hand and clenched his jaw, unintentionally sporting a cute pout.

"After all that you've done with me, in the car, at lunch time, in _our_ bed…" Kaname teased, amused by Zero's bashful reaction to "our" bed. "After all of _that_, you're still too shy to be naked in front of me when the lights are on?" Kaname innocently cocked his head to the side like a puppy.

"I'm not shy!" Zero protested sharply. "It's just that I'm covered in bruises, I look ugly right now…" Zero trailed off, losing his self-confidence. Kaname arched an elegant eyebrow at Zero's statement.

"I doubt it's possible for you to look any less then beautiful, Zero." Kaname said with all seriousness. "Now, drop the towel. I will feel horrible if I don't heal you." Forcing his face to be impassive as ever so that Zero wouldn't be nervous, Kaname waited for the other to make up his mind.

Zero couldn't believe his ears. He felt incredibly awkward and it didn't help that Kaname was just casually standing in front of him with barely anything on. Kaname's shoulders were broad, his stomach sported a six-pack, but not in a severe manner like some guys he had seen on the A shot at love contest. He looked like he should have been a swimsuit model at the most. His looks--_oh, dear,_ were his looks distracting. Anything would suite the man. Like an ancient knight, he certainly had the cocksure smile.

It made Zero even more nervous.

"You're not going to look at e-everything, are you?" Zero asked somewhat shyly. Zero knew that they were both guys and that he shouldn't be nervous to be nude in front of another male but this wasn't just _another_ male. It was the male he had an undying crush on, the guy that he was positively in love with. So yeah, he was nervous. Anybody would be a fool not to be.

"Of course I am." Kaname stated seriously. Zero's cheeks colored again and he made a cute pout.

"You just want to see me naked," Zero mumbled with a half hearted glare, realizing the purebloods real intention. Setting the pile of clothing on the sink's counter, Zero brought his hands down to the top of his towel were it folded in. Kaname watched Zero's hands, his eyes following intensely; he didn't dare move a muscle. Zero undid the fold in the towel, acutely noticing how loud his own breathing sounded in the spacious bathroom. His heard beat was much faster and he could also hear Kaname's quick breaths as well. "_Should I really going to do this?" _

Zero hesitated for a few seconds, trying to calm down his racing heart. Kaname clenched his fist, hoping not to groan out loud since he was seriously twitching between his legs. Damnit, he needed control! Never less, he knew that his boxers were now very tight and that if Zero dropped his gaze at all, he would know too. Taking a deep breath, Zero pulled the towel open, letting it fall away from his slender hips as it hit the tile floor. He expectantly looked up at Kaname, very tempted to cover himself again.

Kaname's jaw appeared to be clenched tightly as he focused unblinkingly on Zero's body. He first scanned Zero's front with clenched fist. If one were to look at him from the doorway and not have known Kaname, they would have thought he was pissed off about something. But that was the opposite of what Kaname was feeling; he was fighting to control himself. He knew that he was the one that practically demanded Zero to get naked but he was truly concerned. He wasn't a pervert 24/7 you know.

Zero was perfect through his eyes.

The 'inspection' lasted for a long heart-pounding thirty seconds. Zero watched Kaname's eyes go to his chest and then travel downward to his visible four-pack then going lower, pausing there for agonizing breaths. His chest moved in and out very quickly, and Zero saw his cheeks get a little pink ting to them. "_Was Kaname blushing?" _

Then, he found it very...sexual to be standing there nude in front of the one that he adored so much. He felt confident because of the fact that he made Kuran Kaname blush. He liked that reaction.

"Turn around." Kaname instructed with a tight voice. Zero smirked and did so, presenting Kaname with his backside. True, he was still nervous and shy about this but when Kaname was looking at him like that, he felt himself slowly not minding the attention.

Zero's skin jumped un-expectantly when he felt gently fingertips on his bruise that was mostly located on his rum.

"You lied, it still hurts doesn't it?" Kaname was close to his ear as he murmured those gentle words.

"N-no, I just didn't expect you to t-touch…" Zero trailed off when Kaname quickly and lightly kissed him behind the ear.

"I'll never let anyone hurt you again; you can be reassured of that. Not your father, Not Ruka, not anyone." Kaname's words were possessive and Zero felt himself thinking about what had happen late last night when Ruka was apparently flirting with him. Kaname had been very protective and possessive of him all night. Keeping him close by as Zero mingles with the nobles. And how many times Ruka apologized and saying she really didn't know why she reacted to Zero's presence the way she did but was ignored by Kaname who constantly kept growly at her. Zero was thoroughly embarrassed as Kaname kept reminding the nobles of his claim as he would kiss Zero either on his cheek, neck, forehead and just shy of his lips. He would do it Again and again. They went back to the room that night with a slightly pouting Zero. The good thing that came out of that night was that Shiki has introduced him to Poky and boy did he have a lot. He was so tired that as soon as he saw the bed, he went for it and fell asleep without even so much as brushing his teeth or changing his clothes. So that's what that funny taste was this morning. Kaname must have changed his clothes for him while he was sleeping too.

Back to the present time in the bathroom.

"K-Kaname, I seem to be the only one naked here." Zero stated, innocently. His voice was soft; he couldn't keep still while Kaname was so close to him, he could _feel _Kaname once again skim his gaze down his body. "It's not fair...you know." Zero added in a whisper. Not getting a reply back, Zero became self-conscious. He couldn't stand it anymore and quickly picked up his towel and covered himself again then turned to face Kaname. Looking up at the purebloods face, he saw his expression change. His eyebrows scrunched together and he clenched his teeth...He looked like he was in pain.

Kaname was dying to drop his boxers and let Zero have a sight of him in all his natural glory, but he still keenly felt like he was leading Zero on. He knew that what he was doing with Zero was risky. _He _was a level D vampire and he was a pureblood prince. Having a relationship just screamed forbidden. But…he found himself not caring. No, he wasn't leading Zero on because in the end, when push comes to shove, he would walk away hand in hand with Zero. That was a mental promise he kept for himself.

Zero wondered why Kaname wouldn't look at him anymore. His hands were fisted, which brought Zero's attention to the very prominent bulge in the purebloods boxers. "_Was...is he embarrassed about his..." _Zero thoughts trailed off at that moment. His moods were so hard to predict sometimes. What he was thinking might be far from what Zero believed that he was thinking. Either way, he was pretty sure that the mood was dimming, and it made Zero even more uncomfortable than he was before. He was sorely tempted to snatch up her clothes and run for it.

"_I don't exactly know what his feelings are for me. Is it a bad time to even try to seduce him because of the whole issue with his father? I have never been so unsure in my life. It kind of pisses me off." _Kaname struggled for a few more seconds, unsure of how to proceed. The weight of the matter really hit home plate.

"Zero," he began in a serious and low tone. Zero looked up with his half-hidden eyes with much anxiety--his mood had changed, and he still wasn't sure what it meant. "Are you sure about this..." At first, Zero thought he was asking if he was sure about the physical relationship, but he added two more words, roughly spoken. "...About everything?" Once he put in those last two words...it became clear to him what he had been thinking. Kaname wanted to know if things were going too fast and if he was even ready for a relationship while also dealing with a family crisis. Kaname felt like he was being selfish, making Zero juggle with his entire problem and also have to deal with the ever persuasive pureblood. He didn't want to do that to Zero, never. . "_He needs reassurance..."_Zero smiled. Kaname could be so cautious sometimes.

Zero didn't even know what exactly it was that had developed between them. "_It all happened so fast."_ His body felt hot and restless when Kaname looked at him like that. Zero felt safe and comforted whenever Kaname was around. "_But I also feel overwhelmed sometimes."_ But conversation was easy with him. The clean cut of his profile, his carefree smiles, and the way he carried himself--he was a handsome and smart guy. Zero pictured the different looks he had seen on Kaname's face since they first met, hoping to archive them for future reference: concerned, incredulous, happy, angry, pensive, loving, cautious... "_My heartbeats are heavier whenever I think of him...I want to know more about him. Gah, I sound like such a girl!"_

It had been almost a full minute since Kaname had asked his question. He watched Zero's face as he thought--really thought--about what to say. A draft floated in from the open door and you could feel the tension getting heavier with each second that silently ticked by, and he only seemed to grow longer and fuller the more he stood there. Just as Kaname was about to ask Zero what he was thinking, he raised his beautiful lilac eyes, looking back into Kaname's hesitant gaze with an intense blush.

"I'm sure," Zero said confidently and firmly but also softly. Kaname's heart beat painfully for a few seconds, and a warmth that he hadn't felt in many years spread inside his chest. Kaname felt his shoulders relax, and realized that he had been almost holding his breath. Zero shifted awkwardly, uncertain as to what he was supposed to do now. He didn't have to do anything, though, because Kaname picked up Zero's pile of clothing and set it in her arms. Then loosely holding his wrist, he led them both out of the bathroom.

"What are you doing, Kana?" Zero asked quietly, shivering as they walked into the bedroom. He heard his answer from somewhere in front of him, but could barely see in the pre-dawn light filtering in through the trees and the windows.

"Returning the favor," was all Kaname said. Kaname stepped into his darkened bedroom, tugging Zero along with him. He took his clothes from his arms, dropping them near the pillows. Sitting Zero down gently on the edge of the bed, Kaname lowered himself to his knees in front of the still confused boy. Zero clutched the towel around his hips as best as he could. Kaname placed his hands on Zero's knees, gently pushing them open, but Zero clamped them shut.

"Wh--what are you going to do?" he whispered quickly. Kaname could practically hear the blush in his quivering voice, it made him smile.

"Do you remember what we did late last night?" he asked, in just as soft a whisper. Zero nodded despite the darkness, and whispered a 'yes.' "Well, consider this me returning the favor." Being able to see just fine in the dark, Kaname could clearly make out how bright red Zero was turning. Zero felt his face heat up, and stuttered out a reply.

"I--that's...K--Kana, I don't know. You don't have to…" Zero stuttered, embarrassed to realize that he was getting aroused by the idea. Sure, he had done it to Kaname...but...he didn't know if he himself would like it. "_Would it feel weird if...if his tongue were there instead? But he seemed to have liked it when I did it to him."_

"Why not? You've already done the same for me. It's time I repaid you...and I hope to bring you to a screaming climax...Zero," Kaname gruffly whispered, lightly grazing his palms over his quivering thighs. He could already hear what Zero would sound like: gasping and making high, strained sighs as sensitive tendrils of pleasure unfurled in his stomach.

"But...d--doesn't it...uhm," Zero stuttered to a stop, unable to bring himself to say it. The blood was pounding in his head, threatening to make him swoon, and they weren't even doing anything yet. _"How cowardly am I?" _

"Doesn't it what? I'm sure you taste good, Zero," Kaname said, sliding his fingers between his knees, but not yet pushing them apart. "Don't you want my mouth there?" That didn't come out sounding the least bit innocent.

"Uh...I...y--yes, but...--" Zero was cut off again. Kaname didn't want him to think about it too much. After the first time, if he still didn't like it, he wouldn't do it anymore...but he knew Zero would like it. He would beg for more.

"It'll feel good, Zero...really good," he huskily promised, pulling Zero's knees apart slowly enough to keep from startling him. Zero's heart was pounding...and he loved it. Kaname walked forward on his knees between Zero's thighs and looked up at him to make sure he was alright. Zero leaned down, touching his lips to Kaname's and wondering what it would feel like to have his hot mouth kissing him in an entirely different place. He would soon find out, and that thought sent a pleasant shiver down his spine. Kaname gave Zero a deep, soulful kiss, holding the side of his face while his other hand absent-mindedly brushed the outside of his thigh. He willfully ignored the raging arousal between his own thighs, intent on the task before him. Ending the kiss firmly, Kaname clasped his hands around Zero's hips, and quietly ordered him to lie back.

Zero was extremely nervous, but did lie down. Kaname brushed aside the ends of the towel, exposing him completely. Zero was clutching the covers on the bed, no knowing what else to do with his hands. Sitting back on his ankles, Kaname pulled Zero a little closer to the edge of the bed, earning a small gasp.

Not wanting to shock him too badly, Kaname began kissing the insides of his silky legs and slowly brought his arms up and around his thighs. Zero was tense, though. His shoulders were stiff with anxiety and excitement, and the room was almost spinning. Closing his eyes, Zero took in a deep breath, telling himself to enjoy this.

Kaname braced Zero's thighs on his shoulders and purposefully breathed hot air over his sex, amused by how Zero's legs moved restlessly when he did it. It was decadent, the feeling in the room. "_Teaching him...but not about sex--teaching him about love. I'm glad to be his first."_ Kaname's heart beat steadily and strongly, heating up his skin. Placing his hands in position, he gingerly spread Zero's legs open a little more, noticing that Zero definitely stiffened.

"Relax, Zero...just enjoy it." Leaning forward, he fully laved his tongue from base to tip, Zero's stomach muscles jerked in reaction, and he gasped in surprise. It really did feel very different. He made the same motion only he pressed a little harder and took more time. Zero breathed a little more hoarsely, disbelieving that such a thing was finally happening to him. He relaxed a little more and concentrated on the sensations. "_I'm glad he's my first…that he's being patient with me, and giving me so much...and it does feel good."_

Kaname had been dragging his tongue over Zero, working his way to the sensitive slit he knew was located at the tip. He found it easily, and it was already fairly swollen with arousal. He avoided it for about two minutes, licking the soft skin around it to build up a little tension. Zero began to sigh. Getting a hold on the base, Kaname leaned in a bit further, laving the slick, smooth skin to get it wet. Then flicking at the pearly white substance at the slit to see what reaction he would get. Kaname heard a gasp followed by a short, soft exhalation of breath. Deciding that he liked that reaction, he did the same over and over again for a few long minutes. Zero's eyes were now tightly closed, and his heartbeat was moderately fast and heavy.

Zero wasn't sure when it happened, but his hands were no longer holding the sheets--rather, they were sliding down his stomach towards Kaname. Touching his fingers to the backs of Kaname's hand was enough for a little bit, but Zero was having trouble forming a clear thought. He knew what was coming, and unconsciously spread his thighs further open. Kaname adjusted his hand again, holding Zero's sex firmly. Taking a breath, Kaname opened his mouth further and took Zero in without hesitation.

"Ah...Kana..." Zero moaned, flexing his hips a little. Kaname applied gentle suckling of his lips and jerked Zero at the same time with his fist just as gently.

"I knew you would taste good..." he gruffly whispered and moved his hand from stroking Zero to rub his inner thigh as he began to bob his head, taking as much as he could then slowly coming back up and repeating. Zero's stomach muscles were jerking, and he moaned achingly. Kaname hummed as he worked his mouth over Zero's member, ringing out aroused moans and groans. Sucking for awhile longer to dampen the slightly abused skin, Kaname let the tip of his tongue play with the slit once more and he listened to Zero's little whimpers. Then pushing his tongue into it, he jabbed quickly, staying shallow. Zero reached down to firmly anchor his hands to Kaname's hair, gasping loudly as his stomach muscles convulsed every time his tongue lavished him erotically.

"Ohh, God...Kaname...uuhhh..." Zero groaned, licking his lips unconsciously. The build-up was already starting, and Zero could tell that it was going to be much higher than his previous two. Kaname began alternating between flicking, sucking and deep throating Zero's sex. He was closer to climax before Kaname increased the pace. Zero bit down on his lower lip, half-whimpering as the tension in his thighs started to make them shake. Rolling his head back into the mattress, Zero held onto fistfuls of his soft, springy hair, hoping his heart didn't explode. His legs spread farther apart of their own will, and he groaned in need and frustration. "_Damn he's great at this." _

Kaname maintained his pace for another couple of minutes, listening to Zero's desperate little sighs and deep moans and hoping he didn't pull his hair out. Kaname was waiting for Zero to say it, to tell him what he wanted before he brought him to his peak. Zero became more restless and tense, his groans became louder and longer as his body began to push back at Kaname, trying to make him take him in deeper. Zero needed to reach his climax. He wondered why Kaname didn't go faster. He was too embarrassed to say anything, and didn't want him to take it the wrong way. In the end, he tried a different way of wording it, which came out in a achingly breathless voice.

"Kana..._please_...uuhhh! Uuhhh...please, Kana, I...I need to come," Zero groaned, half-sobbing his desperation. Securing his hold on him, Kaname relaxed his throat and swallowed Zero deeply, drew upon it as if trying to suck the white substance out of him. Zero's eyebrows came together as his mouth fell open in a shaky cry. He hoped no one other then Kaname had heard him but he couldn't help all the noises that spilled from his throat as Kaname bobbed his head faster and incased him in tight heat. Kaname exulted in the fact that Zero groaned so loudly and passionately, weakly bucking against his mouth in desperate need.

"Unhhh! K--Kaname! _Uuhhhh_!" Zero screamed, stiffening as a rush of tingling, heady sensations filled his body. His deepest muscles thudded in heated bliss, and Zero felt a powerful amount of silken liquid push out of his body and into Kaname waiting mouth. Kaname held onto him, keeping their connection intact for a few seconds longer. Gasping for air, Zero softly whimpered for a few short seconds. His hands relaxed first, releasing Kaname's hair from his death grip. Then his back and lower body seemed to give out, and Zero felt like his head and limbs were much heavier but in a_ very_ blissful way.

Kaname licked his lips and let Zero's feet touch the carpet again. Coming shakily to his feet, he leaned down over Zero, kissing his stomach. Zero felt the bed sink a little towards his hips, and realized that Kaname's fists were holding him above him. Kaname worked his way up Zero's body, dropping kisses on his torso, his chest, and then one on his neck.

"Get dressed, okay? We'll be leaving by eight," he whispered, leaning back up. It was lighter inside the room since the sun was coming up, and the delicious pose Zero was in made Kaname almost growl with male need. Spread over the white towel, pristinely clean and yet debauched in an innocent way, Zero's skin softly glistened against the strong rays of the dawning summer sun shooting through the window from the eastern horizon. His chest rose and fell slowly, and his eyes were still closed, like he was asleep. Forcing himself to turn away, Kaname walked to the bathroom and turned on the shower.

Zero laid there for another couple of minutes, not sure that he would be too steady on his feet just yet. His senses were swimming and his body hummed with sexual release. Once he realized where he was again, he gasped in surprise because he had been lying there for several minutes with his feet set far apart. Snapping up to a sitting position and pulling the towel back around his hips, Zero breathed a small sigh. The room seemed brighter, and Zero felt a little...odd--as if he felt older. He brushed the damp hair off of his forehead, remembering that Kaname was sporting a very obvious arousal while they were in the bathroom and he wondered why he hadn't...done more with him. Never less, Zero felt like Kaname just took him to heaven for a while.

Though he now felt a little embarrassed about the noise he had made during the last minute of their spontaneous interlude, but still Zero couldn't help the small smile he let slipped as he finally stood to his shaky feet.

Kaname stepped into the shower stall, panting and aching for the male in his bedroom. He could still smell his body wash and the taste of his lips still lingered...He felt like the dumbest man alive, but he really didn't want to scare Zero away by taking such a bold move so soon. He wasn't even sure if he wanted to go that far with him anyways. Hot water slid down his already over-heated skin, but he reached for his own body wash and lathered his hands up, then standing close under the showerhead so that the spray only washed over his neck and back, he wrapped his fingers around the raging arousal between his legs. An image of Zero immediately came to mind: on his bed, thighs spread, cheeks flushed, mouth open. He could hear Zero's sexy groans as if he were in the shower stall with him, and began to pump his hand. He imagined wrapping those strong thighs around his hips and pressing the boy into the mattress with his own body weight. Panting now, Kaname moved his hand as fast as he could, hearing Zero's orgasmic screams inside his head. Gritting his teeth, he pressed his forehead to the cool shower tiles and groaned as he climaxed.

"_Zero..._"

_---7:15am---_

Zero was just finishing up dressing when Kaname entered the bedroom, dripping wet once again, and only wearing a towel. Zero smiled, in a great mood, and grabbed up his backpack as he left the room.

"I'll start breakfast, okay?" he said, headed out the door. Kaname wanted to admire him a little longer in his rebellious uniform attire for the day, but he left before he was satisfied. He had been wearing the usual Cross uniform but his shirt was un-tucked at the bottom forming an upside down v-shape, a few of his buttons were undone, his jacket was plainly wide open and his tie was loosened. Though it seemed stupid, Kaname decided to wear black and white as well, wondering if they'd look like a couple when they arrived at St. Yomiuri. He found his best black slacks and a long-sleeved white button-down shirt. He checked his hair before picking up his wallet from the bedside table and leaving the room.

Kaname could smell toast on his way downstairs to the kitchen. Though he usually ate a traditional Japanese breakfast in the mornings, he found himself starving for hardy food. Stepping into the kitchen, Zero was poking at something in the frying pan, half-watching it and half-watching the TV, which was tuned to an early Japanese game show. Zero seemed to be enjoying it, though. On the counter next to Zero were two plates with lightly buttered toast and space for what Kaname could smell were eggs.

Sensing his presence, Zero glanced back in Kaname's direction and smiled, stepping back to point at the frying pan.

"I hope you like them over-medium. I can make scrambled eggs if you want though," Zero said, holding the fork a little hesitantly.

"Over-medium is fine. Would you mind if we watched the local news for a bit?" Kaname asked, walking towards the other teen. Zero shook her head.

"Of course not, I've seen this episode anyways." he flipped one egg over using the fork. Kaname flipped the TV to the local channel, which was still on commercial. It happened to be an advertisement for Viagrel. Zero bit on his lower lip to stifle her grin as he looked down at the pan, flipping another egg.

"Well, let's hope I never need that," Kaname joked, leaning against the counter on the other corner of the kitchen. Another commercial went by before the news came on, selling baby food. Kaname watched Zero's back as he cooked the eggs, admiring the slight curve of his backside and the unkemptness of his silver hair. _"Beautiful." _The local news' cheesy theme song began to play, and Kaname took his eyes away from Zero's form reluctantly.

"Good morning, this is WAII's 7:30 news. Startling news was made known to channel 6 this morning when local officer Tokahoshi Kent reported that another victim, a twelve-year-old girl, was found in the nearby woods early this morning with the same bit marks as the other victims in the past four weeks, and the eighth in the past nine years. Tokahoshi-san said that recent evidence has made the connection between the eight attacks, which points to some sort of wild animal, most likely a wolf of some sort that has become more adept to its surroundings and is less likely to leave anytime soon."

As the news reporter spoke, Zero's hands froze over the stove, having just shut off the heat after forking the eggs onto the two plates. Kaname made a quick glance at him to see his reaction.

"Of the eight victims, the first was a Loyola resident by the name of Aya Ogai, nine-years-old and later found by a river-side fisherman. Tokahoshi-san also said that of the eight victims, Aya Ogai was the youngest, and the oldest was a seventeen-year-old taken from her home in nearby Clark. Mostly all of the victims were female. The sheriff is imposing a six o'clock curfew for all adolescents, especially children under eighteen. Here are some remarks by Loyola residents at the police presentation early this morning:

"'Why didn't the officers tell us about this psycho nine years ago? Everyone thought that Aya Ogai was an isolated incident! I'm ready to have the head of police fired for not doing his damn job correctly!'

"'It makes you scared--certainly does--my kids aren't playing outside anymore until this beast is caught!'

"...Channel 6 will bring you updates as we receive them. In other news..." The anchor for channel 6 went on to another story, but Zero was still stuck on the mention of Aya's name.

"Damnit! It's those damn E's isn't it?!" Zero outburst, clutching his fingers around the fork in his hand. "It was my job! Poor Aya..." Zero looked pissed. Kaname watched the teen carefully, he knew the boy was feeling some sort of guilt."It was my job to protect people against these crazed E's! If only…If only I wasn't bit by that women I…I could have…damnit!" He picked up the plates, taking them over to the table. Kaname followed, sitting down across from him.

"Zero please calm down, you could wake the others..." Kaname trailed off, that wasn't what he had wanted to say. He wasn't good with dealing with these types of things. Zero nodded in silent agreement, feeling like his problems were now minimal compared to the problems of the outside world. But still, he felt so damn responsible.

There was silence and all Kaname could do was reached across the breakfast table and firmly hold Zero's free hand.

"Hey...you are not at fault. You weren't prepared at the time for what had happen to you. There was nothing you could do against a pureblood anyway." Kaname gave him a small, comforted smile. Zero turned her hand up to hold his and they ate their eggs in silence for a few minutes, listening to the news. Zero couldn't help but notice how warm and firm Kaname's hand was.

"Thanks." he said after a while then swallowing the last of his orange juice.

"Anytime," Kaname said with a charming smile. Zero squeezed his hand before letting it go and standing up, taking his plate to the sink. "Did you see anything we need from the grocery store?" Zero chewed his bottom lip in thought as he turned on the hot water and rinsed off the plate.

"Oh! We're almost out of butter but this house could use a bit more fruits and veggies as well." Zero scrubbed the plate 'til it fairly sparkled and then dried it off, setting it to the side on a dishtowel. Turning around, a confused look came over his face. Kaname was done eating, and he had his hands propped underneath his chin. He was watching him with a sad smile on his face.

"What is it?" Zero asked, walking towards him. The change in his face was subtle, but Zero caught it. He looked pained. The expression lasted only a second, and his face wiped clean, replaced by a carefree smile.

"It's nothing. I just like watching you." Kaname confessed. Zero tilted his head slightly like a confused pup but smiled never less. Though he couldn't see it, Zero felt a little shut out that he would hide something from him. And by now Zero knew...he was hiding something. Zero leaned down to take his plate, but from the corner of his eye he saw something skitter across the floor. Turning her head to look, a tiny pink bundle was making its way across the kitchen floor.

Zero's eye twitched as he watched the pink bundle bump into the wall then get back up and walk in circles.

"Um...Kaname ?"

"Yes Zero?"

"What is that?" He pointed calmly at the pink bundle that was still going in circles.

"So that's where she's been...I've wondered what Takuma did with her. He has this silly idea to become a dog groomer." Kaname calmly stood up and made his way to the confused canine. He picked it up and held it in front of Zero.

"Wait a minute, Dog? MY DOG!?" Zero yelled. His poor Rose was dies a bright pink with all sorts of pink accessories on her. A pink sparkling jacket that spelled Rose in diamonds, Pink dog shoes, pink necklace's, pink collar, pink clip on earrings, pink watch, pink glasses, pink fur, pink, pink, PINK!

Zero quickly snatched Rose from Kaname and started shredding all the unnecessary items off of his poor puppy while mumbling how he planned to kill the noble who did this to his angel.

"I'm sure he did it because he wanted to make you happy." Kaname smiled knowing Zero would have never been happy about this. He was extremely amused at Zero's facial expression and how he kept cursing Ichijou while trying to scrub the dye off Rose with the clean cloth by the sink.

"We will take her to a real professional to get her back the way she was after we get back home, Kay?" Kaname tried as he gently took the struggling dog from Zero's scrubbing and sat her on the floor along with all the other pink items. Zero sighed but nodded and put the cloth on the counter. It didn't nothing to get the pink off.

"Where do you want to sleep tonight?" Kaname asked, changing the topic. Zero visibly blushed and his eyes got a little wider. "_Why is he asking that?"_ Zero wondered if he should say that he wanted to sleep in his bedroom again, but Kaname might take it that he liked his bed, and then the pureblood would sleep in the other room. So he changed his answer slightly...

"W--with you?" he said softly, holding his shoulders a little tighter. Kaname slid his hands around Zero's waste, slowly making his way to his rear end.

"That could be dangerous, you know." he said, getting closer.

"Why's that?" he whispered, breathing a little faster. Kaname's warm hands stopped just shy of the edge of Zero underwear. Zero nervously bit down on her lower lip.

"When you're that close, and we're in a bed, I want to just be between your legs, pushing myself inside," he whispered, watching the other teen's reaction. Zero's cheeks were bright red by now, and he could feel his heart pounding.

"K--Kana..." was all that came out, and Zero gripped his shoulders.

"I can't even imagine how good it would feel," he said, his voice very gruff and his gaze intense.

"Th...then why don't you?" Zero asked, feeling awkward but very much interested in what he would say next.

"Well, first off, I don't have any lube in the house...but mostly, I think I'd like to get to know you more. We can keep on as we have been until we're both ready." Zero slowly licked his lips, looking down at Kaname's mouth.

"You'll keep...doing what you did...this morning?" he asked hesitantly. Kaname's eyes softened and he smirked.

"As much as you want," he replied, leisurely rubbing the outside of his thighs. Zero leaned down, pulling up on the shoulders of his white shirt. Closing his eyes, Zero felt Kaname's lips touch his, moving over them slowly. Opening his mouth more, Zero pressed his tongue against Kaname's lips, slipping inside. It felt like his heart was pounding inside his head, and his skin radiated heat. Wrapping his arms around Kaname's neck, Zero put all he had into the kiss, wondering if he was going to make his lips swell from all the attention they were receiving.

When he needed to breathe again, Zero pulled his mouth away while opening his eyes. Seeing Kaname's face above his rather than below, Zero looked to the side and down. "_I'm on the floor now?"_

"Wow...I didn't know you could kiss like that," Kaname said, holding him a little closer. Zero's chest was pressed tightly against Kaname's as they gazed into each other's eyes. "It seems that there's a lot I don't know about you." Zero's eyebrows scrunched together and up, looking at him with a little bit of dejection.

_I could say the same…_

"Although I'd love to keep doing this, it seems that we've procrastinated long enough." Kaname gestured his head towards the microwave clock, which read 7:56. The news was winding down, and Rose was curiously watching them with a tilt of the head. Kaname pulled away, patting Zero's hind end before walking to his plate. Zero watched him take the plate to the sink and set it inside. Picking up his backpack, Zero draped it over his shoulder. Kaname shrugged into his knee length coat and grabbed his briefcase from the counter.

"Ready to go?" Zero asked, shutting off the kitchen light. Kaname looked at the clock once more before nodding his head.

"Yup." With that last word they walked out of the door. Kaname took Zero's hand in his and they both smiled at eachother, ready to face the real world once more.

* * *

**Thank you all for being patient with me ^^ So anyway how do you guys like it? Who wants a shout out the next chapter? It will be only two people sadly but not worry because I love you all *smiles brightly* Until next time.**

**^stallion14^**


	7. Zero says it's important to relax

**A/N: Yes! OGT practice testing and the actual testing is done!!! CHEER! Man I have studying like crazy o.0 you have ****no ****idea!! But it's done now plus it's almost spring break ^_^ Next Friday for me yaayyy!! You will see faster, and I mean **_**faster**_**, updates! **

**SHOUT OUTS****!! Drum roll please………………..(1) Thank you sooo much for your review! LOL your too nice ^^. Drum roll please………………………….(2) ****KanameZero4Eva *blushes* lol thank you soo much for the review you silly silly person you! Love the name BTW!! Okay so I know I said I was only going to do two reviews this time buuuut I can't help it! There was soo many GREAT review ^_^ soooooo drum roll please………………..(3)Penguita38 Aw thank you so much for the review! It really does make me happy to receive such great responses from everyone! Do not worry if you didn't get a shout out and actually wanted one because I will get to each and every last single one of you ^_^**

**SUMMARY: Kaname and Zero head back out into the real world where they try to keep their relationship 'hush hush' for the mean time. To everyone else, though, Zero is available. No one should ever be around a jealous pureblood unless they have plans of getting hurt. Also, Zero kicks up his seduction on the handsome pureblood. Where did this sudden confidence come from anyways?**

**CHAPTER: Zero says it's better to just relax **

**KKKKKZZZZZ*KKKKKZZZZZ*KKKKKZZZZ*KKKKKZZZZZ**

_---8:00am, Monday---_

Though it was eight o'clock in the morning, Kaname could already tell that it was going to be a hot and humid day again. He firmly shut the front door and locked it, and then jiggled the keys around to get his car key out. Zero was waiting by the car, absent-mindedly rubbing the skin underneath the collar of his shirt, most likely clueless that he was practically exposing his neck to a vampire. Kaname was surprised to see the ground and his car wet, meaning it had rained overnight. Oddly hadn't notice it had been raining last night. He hadn't seen any reports about rain last evening either, but apparently one had popped up. There was still a lot of moisture in the air, though, not to mention the heat already making itself known. He was glad that his car had working air conditioning, or else he and Zero would be miserable driving over to St. Yomiuri.

"If I were you I'd stop doing that." Kaname's sudden call snapped Zero out of his trance. He looked to the pureblood who was eying his neck pointedly. Zero blush and quickly covered his neck again with a slight huff. Kaname laughed at his antics and pushed the button on his car remote and unlocked the doors. Zero opened the passenger door and tossed his book-bag into the back seat before sliding into the passenger side and smoothing his shirt out some more to keep the pureblood from eyeing him like he was a tasty meal or something. Kaname opened the back door and set his briefcase next to Zero's book-bag...He felt a twinge of guilt as the metaphor rung a bell within him. Societal pressures were heavy, and he felt it in his chest as he slid into the driver's seat. Pulling his seatbelt over his chest, Kaname looked to Zero, who gave him a small, sweet smile as he clipped his seat belt. _"Though __It's definitely worth it...for him." _Kaname couldn't help but returning the smile.

Zero was happy to be there, spending time with Kaname. To be away from his father and from school. This was a break that his heart definitely needed, and having Kaname with him only made the break that much nicer. Kaname fastened his seatbelt, it was mostly for show, and adjusted his mirrors because _someone _had been driving his car…_again_.

Turning on the engine, Kaname wasn't quite prepared when the air conditioning blasted hot air at them, still on from when _someone_ had last driven the car. He shut it off, cursing Aidou lowly, and revving the engine a bit to warm it up. They soon backed out of the driveway, and took a slow speed for the first block. Kaname stopped the car at the stop sign on the end of the street, which was slightly faded due to the sun damage inflicted over the summer months.

Kaname checked traffic and turned right, headed to the highway five minutes away. "Okay, we should arrive there at least by nine-thirty."

"Plenty of time to take the scenery in." Zero commented, half joking, tossing Kaname a glance.

"Yeah...we'll probably be done by noon, eat lunch there, and then head back." Kaname sighed as he turned left down a larger street. "I still have to finish grading the homework from Friday, too. I should have enough time to do that this afternoon, I think." Zero felt a pang of...something...was it guilt?...upon hearing the words 'grading homework.'

"There's no way I can help, is there?" Zero asked, looking at him questioningly. Kaname spared him a quick glance before putting his eyes back on the road. He sort of smirked.

"It's okay. It's my job, anyway. Did you have any homework to do?" he asked, realizing that Zero's weekend probably hadn't given him much time to think about school. Zero felt another pang again, and wished that he didn't feel so...weird...whenever he mentioned anything to do with school or his job.

"I got it done before we went out on Friday, remember?" Zero prodded, shrugging off the negative vibes he was giving himself. "_I told him that I was sure--and I am--so I'm not going to psyche myself out now."_

"Friday seems like a long time ago," Kaname said. Zero reached over and set his hand on his forearm, squeezing it. Kaname patted his hand before gripping the wheel again; remembering that time in the car with Zero some nights ago, Kaname let a sinful smile spread across his face. Zero looked at him with a little confusion, but Kaname made no comment. Zero played with the edge of his skirt again, watching the stores whiz by as they headed up the overpass to reach the highway ramp.

Kaname turned down the ramp, speeding up as they merged with the flow of traffic. After a minute or so, he set the cruise control and relaxed a bit, letting a wolf pack of speeding cars blow by as they set a course for the suburbs. Kaname errant thoughts kept returning to what had happened that morning, the way Zero sounded as he reached climax, the way he looked, lying there on the bed... Unable to help himself, Kaname asked a blunt question,

"So did you like it?" Zero had been spaced-out, watching the trees swallow up the highway as it twisted through the rougher hills. Not quite hearing what Kaname said, Zero turned, taking in a deeper breath.

"What was that?" he asked innocently. Kaname looked over at him really quick, smirking.

"Did you like it?" he said again, a little louder. Zero's eyebrows came together in confusion for a few seconds. _Like what? The drive?_ Then he saw that particular expression on the purebloods face, a little joking, a little serious, and...a little flirty. _This morning...in the bedroom?_

"Uh...K--Kana...Kana, you're making me embarrass," Zero said quietly, smiling a little and looking down at his lap.

"It's cute," he commented, tempted to take one of his hands off of the wheel. "And we're the only ones in the car. It's not like its bugged or anything. Humor me." Kaname looked down at Zero's hands, which were twisting the edge of his shirt. Zero blurted out the first thing that came to his mind, softly spoken,

"Mind-blowing." He was blushing furiously down at his hands, and Kaname outright smiled, chuckling lightly.

"Wow...that's probably one of the best compliments I've ever been given," he laughed out, flattered. Zero half-heartedly smacked his thigh with the back of his hand, tsking.

"You like to get me flustered, I can tell," Zero accused, looking up at his amused face. He reached for the hand that hit him, holding it in his grasp. Zero pinched the back of his hand, and he abruptly let him go, chuckling. "You're always doing that," Zero joked, turning towards him. "Always bringing the subject back to sex...I think I've found myself a sex demon." He crossed his arms, shifting to sit more on his left hip as he leaned towards the pureblood.

"I have other redeeming qualities," Kaname asserted, turning around a sharper bend in the highway. "I'm smart...I like to _think_ of myself as good-looking, and as far as I can tell, I don't make you too uncomfortable."

"All qualities you use as your occupation of sex demon," Zero facetiously declared. He set his elbow against the armrest, resting his harsh and calculating glance on Kaname's unflustered features. The pureblood only smirked, turning the wheel back to its original position as the road straightened once again.

"I'm not really a sex demon, you know...because we haven't actual had sex yet," he said in a low voice, stressing the 'S' word. Zero's cheeks colored a little again, but he held his ground.

"Did I ever say I didn't want a sex demon?" Zero said in an even softer voice. He saw Kaname's cheeks get a little pink then, turning a soft, light rosy color over the span of fifteen seconds as he stared at him. "_Well, this is certainly a nice change of pace."_ Zero didn't get to gloat for very long, though because Kaname suddenly turned and landed a quick kiss on his lips, Zero wasn't able to react before Kaname was looking at the road again, smirking. Zero squinted his eyes at him, plotting a way to get revenge. Backing off a bit, though, distracted himself by changing the subject while he planned.

"How much more homework do you have to grade?"

"Hmm, it'll probably only take a couple of hours. Though that's if I do it without the TV on--with CNN going, it'll go on for three hours or more," Kaname admitted. He passed a slower-moving vehicle, being driven by some old lady with an eye patch. After a moment or two of silence, Zero could imagine that he looked like a thermometer--because a hot blush rose to his face, and he was sure that he must look as red as a fire truck. Needing to busy his hands so that the wicked thoughts in his head would dissolve away, Zero reached behind him to pull his book-bag forward. Digging through its contents, he pulled out the book they had so thoroughly examined ever since Kaname presented his presence to him on that very first day of school. Flipping to "The History of sign language," Zero skimmed the pages, glancing at the post-it notes that he had begun to haphazardly add for later reference ever since they began teaching a class temporarily.

"We should ask to interview the teacher staff about the school when we get there," Kaname said, watching what Zero was doing. "Then we can perhaps ask some of the upstairs staff who work in the secondary offices if they have a few minutes. But that should basically cover it." Zero nodded, making pensive and distracted noises. Kaname smirked again, watching the road. The sun was just breaking over the top of the trees by then, hitting the back of the car. The road narrowed to a two-lane highway, and Kaname was almost glad to see that not as many cars were headed out this way. The Valley wasn't a small town, but it didn't really attract any tourists. Though it was a hot day, it was a very sunny, peaceful one, and they had A/C. "_Zero should be enjoying the ride, not reading."_

Reaching over, Kaname closed the book. Zero brought his head up abruptly, looked at the road, and then glanced over at Kaname.

"What's wrong?" Zero asked, still holding his place in the book. Kaname grazed the pad of his thumb across the soft skin on the back of Zero's hand, surprised by how silky it was.

"Just relax. Watch the trees for a bit," he murmured. Zero wondered if Kaname knew that he was anxious. "_Was I biting my lip? Fidgeting?"_ Now that he had conjured a truly wicked plan to surprise Kaname, it kept flying around inside his head, and Zero wasn't sure if he had the gall to pull it off. "_Well, there's nothing I can do about that until we get back, so I should just forget about it."_ Stuffing the book back into his bag, Zero hugged the book-bag to his chest and looked out at the scenery, which held a golden glow due to the early autumn sun.

Though some of the ride was spent in silence, Zero and Kaname talked for most of the hour-long trip. Some of it was about his father, some was about what kind of things Kaname liked to do, and they even decided to go out again that Friday and see a new high-budget film being released for Labor Day weekend. Slowly, Zero's posture became less rigid and stiff, and he eventually leaned more to Kaname's side as they drove the last few miles of the stretch of highway leading to The Valley.

_---9:30am, The Valley---_

It was only five minutes before they parked in front. The building looked ancient as always. The front doors were propped open, most likely because the building had no air conditioning except in the offices. Kaname switched off the engine and unbuckled his seatbelt, excited that they were actually going to do some interviewing now.

The students were on break as well but all the teachers were their today for a meeting on how they could approve their teaching skills and for basic cleaning of their classrooms and school in general. Zero hopped out of the car and raised his arms above his head, stretching a little since his legs were a bit stiff from sitting for so long. Kaname looked over at him as he got out of the car, watching the way Zero's chest moved underneath his shirt and how he could see a little of his flat stomach peaking through. "_Geez, I am a sex demon."_Kaname concluded.

Taking a deep breath, Kaname decided to leave his briefcase in the backseat and auto-locked all the doors before shutting them. Zero hoisted his book-bag to his shoulder, not caring about his regal and rebellious appearance. Then walking around the car to Kaname, he flashed him a quick smile, and they each kept pace with the other as they headed to the opening doors. Zero impulsively grabbed Kaname's hand for a second before letting it go and looking off to the side when Kaname glanced over at him. Ready to blame it on the heat if he asked, Zero felt his cheeks blush yet again. Kaname smiled softly, squeezing his hand in return before letting it go as well.

Once they reached the steps, Zero sighed gratefully because just being under the shade was a nice break from the sun, which was already starting to sizzle their surroundings.

The entry hall was the same as last time but a little more ancient-looking, and it was trimmed with marble and plaster moldings that looked like they had seen too many scalding summers and harsh winters. A few older paintings or photographs were displayed on the walls with old brass captions tacked below them instead of the children's colorful pictures like last time. Zero found the camera he had brought in his book-bag. He needed to take pictures of all the portraits hanging for his side project Kaname had talked to him about. They were now doing the history of sign language and the first sign language school in all of Japan.

"I'll look around here if you want to go find a secretary or something," Zero suggested, looking over at Kaname. He nodded, pushing one hand into his pocket casually.

"I'll be back soon then." As he walked off, Zero ogled his rear end for a few seconds before he rounded a corner, entering an office. Then turning towards a painting, which was of an old looking man in a battle uniform, Zero read the caption: "Yoritomo Shiguri 1780. A Bloody Battle but an honorable man." He "hmph-ed", looking back at the painting. "Well, that's cheerful." Walking down to the next painting, it was of a relatively large group of people, all of whom were standing in front of a house that he was sure was the school now: "The Shiguri Family. 1642. Painter Unknown." Zero browsed the captions of two more paintings, neither of which had any bearing on what they were researching, while snapping shots, occasionally at different angles. About to move onto a photograph, Zero saw Kaname come out of the office and gesture to him with a soft smile. _"He looks so cute like that, taking pictures with that adorable excited look on his face…"_

A short older man in conservative clothing followed Kaname out. The man looked Zero up and down, giving him appreciative looks. Zero seemed to have met some qualification, and the man walked up to him as Zero approached, holding out his hand.

"Hello, young man, my name is Henten Shiguri. I'm the head principle of St. Yomiuri school for the deaf. You two wanted to do some interviews concerning the history of the school, right?" Henten asked, his voice excited and anxious. Zero's eyes widened a bit. He shook his mind loose, though, and answered the happy man.

"Yes, the questions shouldn't take too long, if there's no problem," Zero said casually, looking over at Kaname for support. The pureblood smirked at his student instead. The principle scrunched his brows together for only a second before pulling back on his happy face.

"That should be fine. I suspect that Nawaki and Lo are down the back hall somewhere, sweeping the floors by now," he said, gesturing towards the back of the building. "Just tell them that Henten said it was all right and be sure to ask which of the paintings we have are of the girls or their family, I'm fairly sure that we've got at least four of them. I'll be in here if you need anything," Helen informed, pointing back into the office behind him. Zero nodded, saying it was nice to meet him. The man then headed back, giving Zero a slow once over before winking and disappearing in his office. Kaname reached for Zero's sleeve, pulling him along as they walked to the back hallway. Zero looked at the pureblood in confusion. Kaname's brows were tightly knitted together in obvious anger and his grip was a little tight. _"What just happened?"_

_---12:15pm, The Valley---_

The interviews went fairly well. One of the younger staff members couldn't help much because he had only worked at the school for a week so far, but the others had quite a few interesting stories, which Zero recorded using one of Kaname's gadgets. Most of the people they spoke to were glad to gossip. A couple of the stories actually freaked Zero out a little, not that he would admit it, but he didn't feel too uncomfortable since Kaname came with him to photograph the paintings and the "affected offices," as the staff liked to call them. They were soon headed out of the building, and though it was sticky inside, the hot air just hit them like a ton of bricks when they got outside. Kaname's car was practically an oven, so they left the doors open and turned on the car while it cooled off. Leaning on the car roof and staring at each other, Zero fanned his face and sighed, showing sympathy with Kaname over the oppressive heat. Though they were vampires, they weren't really affected by the heat as much as the Hollywood movies made it seem.

"What do you want for lunch?" Kaname asked, checking his watch. Zero felt his stomach growl a little at the mention of food and looked up in thought.

"Hmm...a sandwich of some sort sounds good," Zero concluded, not really in the mood for something big. Kaname eyes softened a little, which made Zero smile a little. The pureblood then nodded, loosening the cuffs of his shirt.

"We'll have to get it back in our area, but a sandwich does sounds good, I don't think there's decent fast food restaurant out there," he joked, sitting down in the car. Zero followed suit, easing into the car and grimacing since the heat was still pretty bad. Kaname adjusted the A/C and soon some cool air was blowing out. Closing the doors, Zero and Kaname put on their seat belts. Kaname hooked his arm over Zero's seat and looked behind him, backing out of the parking space then took his foot off of the brake, driving out of the parking lot.

_---12:55pm, on the road---_

Now that they had finished their first chunk of researching, Kaname and Zero discussed the interviews on the way back. They passed a couple of exits for small towns, but though each probably had a couple of sit-down restaurants, Kaname and Zero both wanted to get back home. Zero knew that Kaname probably wanted to get his grading done, and he herself was a little anxious to be back. After the conversation died down somewhat, Zero's mind was in a jumble as to how he was going to give herself the courage to... Just thinking about it made Zero's face blush.

"Kana, what did you do after college?" Zero asked, needing to calm himself down a bit. Kaname changed lanes, passing by a slower car before getting back into the right lane. Zero could see that they would be back home soon since the highway had widened again.

"Well, I stayed at my parent's house and after a lot of begging and pleading to my father I got a job as a Anatomy teacher at your school, the end." Kaname concluded, chuckling once he saw the irritated look on Zero's face

"Spoiled brat." Zero half heartedly snapped.

"Well think of it this way, if I weren't spoiled and got everything to go my way then chanced are I wouldn't be here but I am because I'm a spoiled brat…so here I am." Kaname was having fun with this, Zero could tell.

"You didn't have a girlfriend in there somewhere?"Zero suddenly asked. Kaname shifted uncomfortably, which Zero noticed right away. "_Why did I ask him that?! Stupid!"_ Zero saw him open his mouth to speak, but decided to change the subject so that he could avoid it...because it was obviously something touchy. "A-aa...H-how much further 'til we get back?" He heard Kaname stumble his words a bit, caught off guard.

"U-uh--I think we'll be to the exit in about five minutes."

"Great. I'm _starving_...hmm...so you're almost twenty-one then, right?" Zero asked, keeping his mind off track. Kaname blinked a couple of times.

"I turned twenty in June, so it'll be a little while until I get to twenty-one." Zero took the conversation from there, talking to him about birthdays and when he was a child. He couldn't help the nagging in the back of his mind, though... Deciding to wait until Kaname wanted to talk about it, Zero bent his mind to a new task, determined to make it a pleasant surprise.

_---1:30pm, Penthouse---_

After getting drive-thru once they reached there area, Kaname and Zero turned onto Kaname's street just as a car pulled away from the driveway of his penthouse...a 2009 Mitsubishi Endeavor. Zero gasped, realizing that his father had just stopped by. "_Isn't that breaking a rule or something?"_ Kaname was slightly amused. He knew that if he were there when Zero's father decided to show up, he would have killed the man. _"What a fool, coming to a vampires den alone, how foolish." _

"I wonder why father was here." Zero said as his father turned the corner at the end of the block. Kaname pulled into his driveway and spied a box on the porch. Zero noticed it at about the same time and made a surprised noise.

"He must have dropped something off," he guessed, unbuckling his seat belt. Kaname put the car into park and shut the engine off. Getting out, Zero immediately wanted to get right back in the car, it was already stifling outside, and it would only get hotter until the sun set. Shouldering his book-bag, he walked up to the box. Opening the flaps, he saw a laptop and cables inside, plus an envelope. Reaching for the envelope, he looked on the front for any writing but it was blank. Looking inside, he heard Kaname walk up behind him as he pulled out a piece of paper: a check made out to her for five hundred dollars. On the note on the bottom left, his father had written "for expenses while you're away."

Kaname wanted to look over Zero's shoulder at what he was looking at, seeing what was probably his laptop inside the box, and saw his shoulders slump. "_Is it a note from his father?"_ Stepping around to Zero's left; he squatted next to the ex-human, looking at the check in his hand.

"Wow...I don't even think I have that much in checking right now," he said sarcastically, trying to lighten Zero's mood. It was obvious that since there wasn't a note attached to anything that Zero was disappointed. He made a small noise, acknowledging that he had heard him. "Come on...let's go eat lunch." Curling his fingers around Zero's elbow, Kaname pulled him to a stand and handed him the bag of sandwiches. He pulled his keys out of his pocket and unlocked the door, pushing it open and holding it for the sullen boy. Zero walked inside, sighing as the cold A/C air hit him. Kaname brought the laptop box inside and shut the door behind him.

_---3:50pm---_

After they ate, Kaname took his briefcase into the living and tuned the television to CNN, and began grading homework. Zero said he'd be in the front room since it had a desk, and would work on some homework himself, though all he had left was to start on projects not due for several weeks. After half an hour, though, Zero gave up and played a couple of the games on his computer for a bit longer. He could hear the droning of CNN anchors from where he sat. Checking his computer's clock, he saw that time was running out for his surprise, and fidgeted where he sat. "_Why am I so nervous...?"_

Stalling, Zero decided to go to the kitchen and maybe wash some dishes. Walking down the hallway, he heard a bit of paper rustling and a sigh. Turning with a blush into the kitchen on the left, Zero looked at the sink, which only had a few dishes sitting inside. His hands began fidgeting again, and his eyes roamed around the kitchen, looking for something to do besides wash the dishes. When his gaze landed on a bowl of fruit sitting on the counter, Zero paused...and got an idea.

Kaname, in the back room, was mostly having trouble deciphering some of his students' handwriting. "_These kids need to relearn how to draw the alphabet."_ He only had another half hour of homework to do, but he felt like he was starting to get a headache. Taking a deep breath, he scored the current student's answer and moved onto the next one. Surprisingly, or perhaps not so surprisingly, Zero's homework had been perfect: it was readable, correct. Only a couple others in his classes were as precise. Those were the hard-working students that teachers dreamed of.

As if on cue, Zero peaked his head into the door, flashing Kaname a shy smile. Kaname sighed, glad to see him. Stepping inside, Zero plopped down on the other side of his coffee table, holding a banana.

"So how's it going?" he asked casually, looking down at the papers. Kaname tapped his pen on the table, rubbing a little at his sinuses. Zero began to peel the banana and was attempting to read one of the paragraphs upside down.

"Well, it's mostly good--people try hard in the beginning of the year." He set the pen down and propped his chin up with his palm. Zero finished peeling down the outside and turned one of the homework assignments around so that she could read it.

"_Ludwig had stated that animals were capable of reproducing but Newton didn't."_ This is terrible," Zero said, browsing the rest of the paragraph. The question had asked what was the difference between Ludwig's thesis and Denmark and how did it relate to Newton's laws of science, but the person obviously didn't read the obvious paragraph in the book at all.

"Well, what can you do...I pointed out what to read in the book, gave them ten questions to answer, and this is what they give back," Kaname said, watching Zero eat the banana. It certainly was an odd way to eat it.

Zero was sure that he looked incredibly stupid. He looked down at the homework, pretending to read it, and meanwhile was pulling his lips over the banana, grazing off a little bit at a time with his teeth. Realizing that it would work better if he looked at Kaname rather than at a piece of paper, Zero brought his eyes up and stared into Kaname's. He brought his mouth down over the fruit again, pulling his lips up slowly. Kaname raised his head off of his hand just a little, and his lips fell open only slightly. "_That's..."_ Clipping off the tip of the fruit, Zero set his own chin in his hand, twirling the banana off to the right as he chewed.

By now, Kaname knew what he was up to, and he couldn't help but start reacting to Zero's playfulness in the most physical of ways. His jaw clenched as Zero slid the banana into his mouth again, for his loins decided to begin swelling right then. Swallowing what he had in his mouth, Zero licked his lips.

"I was hungry again, so I nabbed one of these--if that's okay." He held his gaze and began working his mouth over the fruit once more. He bit off some more of it, chewing the sweet fruit and swallowing. Kaname nodded dumbly, wondering what he planned to do once the banana was gone. If he simply stood up and left, Kaname was planning on nabbing _him_.

"Any interesting news today?" he asked, twirling his tongue around the tip of the banana, which was now half of its original size. Kaname had to think for a second to process what he said, but he was able to come up with an answer,

"Some more violence...and more…violence." Zero nodded, which made his mouth bob over the banana. Kaname felt his skin heating up, and he wondered if the blood in his veins had become thicker because his heart was palpitating more heavily in order to push it through his blood vessels.

"This banana tastes really good. Where did you get it from?" He asked, taking another bite out of it. He twirled it again, and sat back a bit, propping one hand behind him to show off his slightly unbuttoned chest a little. Zero himself wondered if his face was red or not, he felt embarrassed to be doing this because he didn't know whether or not Kaname was getting the right mood from it...or if he thought he was being a moron. "_He looks like he doesn't mind though..."_

"Uh...the--the store on down the block," He answered, shifting uncomfortably on the couch. "_If he gets up to leave...there's no way I'm letting him."_ He wanted to adjust his pants since they were cutting into his pelvis now, and waited with a wry mood for the second when Zero would drop his gaze and find that his pants sported a new bulge right in front.

"They have good cherries, too," He said, attempting to sound flirty. "_Man that was the dumbest line eve."_ Kaname, on the other hand, was ready to dive across the table at Zero. He knew that he mentioned cherries on purpose. "_When is he going to finish that damned banana?"_ Zero bit down to the last exposed part of the fruit, and turned his hand upside down, letting the banana rind flop down to a remnant of its original shape.

Kaname clamped his hand down over his knee, barely able to stop a breathy groan from escaping his lips. Zero set the banana peel down on a bare spot of the coffee table, swallowing the last of the fruit and licking his lips a little slower. His eyes happened to glance by Kaname's pants, and he almost did a double take. _Whoa..._ Happy and relieved that his plan was working, Zero flattened his hands on the table and looked up at Kaname, who was gripping his knees as if his life depended on it.

"Would you like to take a break to relax for a while?" Zero asked, pushing himself up to a standing position. Kaname looked up at him, breathing abnormally and looking a little flushed. Zero knew that he probably looked about the same.

"I'd love a break," Kaname replied, hoping that what Zero had in mind was what he had in mind. "_He must...because his cheeks are red."_ Zero took the few steps needed to walk around the coffee table, and Kaname's heart thudded loudly. He wondered if Zero could it hear from where he stood. Zero slowly sunk down to his knees in front of him, and Kaname wanted to thank the powers that be for inspiring him. He scooted forward, sitting on the edge of the couch, which touched his shins to the coffee table and forced him to spread his thighs further.

Zero looked up at him with hungry eyes and slowly slid his arms around Kaname's trim sides, pressing his chest and stomach against his body. Zero tilted his head back and pressed his hand against the spot between Kaname's shoulder blades, encouraging the pureblood to kiss him. He needed no encouragement, though, and held Zero's backside through the soft cloth of his school pants, pushing him against the warm, throbbing organ he so easily stirred. Sinking into the kiss, Kaname eagerly thrust his tongue into Zero's mouth, listening to the sounds that their lips made every time he slid his tongue inside. Both were breathing fast, and Kaname felt Zero grip the back of his shirt. The TV was merely background noise now, a buzzing that no longer filtered into his mind. Zero wasn't as far gone, but was glad for the noise because it made him less nervous.

Kaname squeezed Zero's rear and pulled him tighter against himself, wishing that he could make love to him, right there on the floor. But for now, he felt that this could be enough until he was ready for him. And when he was ready..."_He'll fall asleep from exhaustion after we're through."_ Feeling Zero pulling his mouth away from him, Kaname let up on the kiss. He flexed his fingers against Zero's hind end and licked his lips, tasting the banana that he had eaten. An unexpected pressure was on his stomach, and Kaname looked down to see Zero's hands pulling on his belt buckle, loosening it. He let out a shaky breath and brought his eyes back up to Zero, who was blushing like mad but still stripping him. He tugged at his belt some more, staring into his eyes as it slid free of the pant loops.

Zero couldn't bring himself to say anything. He just wanted the next few moments to pass by as they would, and dropped his belt onto the carpet off to his right. Licking his lips again, Zero leaned forward and kissed the dip in Kaname's neck, all the while unbuttoning his pants and sliding the zipper down. Kaname sighed, loosely holding Zero's arms, as the pressure on his manhood let off. He raised his chin a bit to give Zero more room to explore his neck, hoping that this break lasted a while, hoping that Zero would deeply imbed his fangs inside his sensitive neck.

Zero was starting to get too nervous though, and decided to do something else for a couple of minutes until he calmed down. Spur-of-the-moment/nearly-pitch-black-car was one thing, but on-purpose/brightly-lit-room was another thing. Reaching up to the top button of his shirt, Zero began to pop the buttons out, slowly exposing the perfect chest he had seen earlier.

Kaname felt Zero's hands fumble a bit as he opened his pants and heard his breathing become a little faster and more ragged. When Zero decided to unbutton his shirt, he didn't even think that the ex-human might be anxious about performing such a service in broad daylight, though he had the same that morning.

Though, Zero did feel more comfortable, knowing that Kaname was excited. The pureblood held him close, keeping his hands on the boy's arms. Zero looked at his smooth, toned skin, only halfway done with the buttons. "_Just seeing his bare chest is enough to make me restless."_ Kaname's lips were grazing his temple, leaving little kisses there. Once he reached the last button, Zero hurriedly unfastened it and flipped his shirt open, fairly swooning over how gorgeous he was. Setting his hands on Kaname's chest, he lightly rubbed the firm skin over his pectorals before smoothing his hands up to push his shirt off of his shoulders.

"Kaname...I...didn't tell you this morning, but..." Zero started, speaking softly and massaging his sides, loving the feel of his skin. Kaname lowered his chin, which put his mouth next to Zero's ear. "_He won't look at me"._ "But...you're really handsome, Kaname." Zero whispered this last statement, rubbing his hands a little harder. "You should have been a model or something." Kaname shuddered. Zero's hands were aphrodisiacs, as well as his words and the hot air brushing over his chest. Very hard and ready, Kaname could feel perspiration gathering on his forehead.

Having finally gathered his courage, Zero looked down at Kaname's lap and slid his fingers underneath the waistband of his boxers. Sinking down further, Zero's backside touched the table, making a crinkling noise as it messed up a couple of the papers sitting there. Kaname impatiently shoved the table back about a foot, giving Zero room to sit on his heels. Zero almost sniggered, amused by how eager Kaname seemed. Pulling down on his waistband, he hesitantly reached his hand inside, finding the warm member inside and awkwardly wrapping his hand around it. Kaname bit down on his lower lip, grunting a little. Bringing him out carefully, Zero's entire face immediately flamed red with embarrassment, but judging by the breathy groan he heard above him, Zero guessed that Kaname didn't mind at all that he was this close to...him. Closing his eyes, Zero leaned forward a little, setting his arms on Kaname's thighs. He licked the tip, glad that he hadn't surprised him by tasting different.

Kaname's heart was in his throat. He wished he could get a photo of them right now from the doorway of the room. It was surely one of his biggest fantasies for a woman, especially one who was a complete crazy fan of this type of thing, to simply walk in and pleasure him on his knees, even taking a bit of time to seduce him first the way he had with that blasted banana. To be desired like that...everyone fantasized that someone lusted for him or her. As Zero began, going slowly and a little hesitantly, Kaname sat there in ecstasy. Zero's mouth was warm, and though the day was stifling, the air inside was cool, so the contrast between the temperature of the room and his wet, small mouth was starting to make his blood boil.

Zero eventually dipped his head further down, taking more of Kaname between his soft lips and moving more fluidly. Kaname could feel Zero's tongue rubbing the underside of his arousal with each head-bob, and his sensitive limb reacted to the texture, swelling even more. After only a minute of this, he could no longer stay silent and dropped his chin down to his chest, letting himself softly groan. He moved his hands to the back of Zero's neck, curling his hair about his fingers at the nap.

Zero felt encouraged by Kaname's manly sighs and moans. He could hear and feel how heavy the pureblood was breathing, and the slight weight of his hands on his neck as they laced through his hair told him that he was enjoying it. So Zero moved his mouth faster, tightening his lips and once in a while letting his teeth very lightly graze the sensitive skin. He heard Kaname groan loudly, which reverberated through his clenched jaw. "_The sounds he's making..."_

Zero was suddenly perplexed, however, when he felt Kaname's thighs moving underneath his arms. They were flexing, pushing his pelvis upwards into his mouth. Confused, Zero pulled his head up, holding the base of his arousal with both hands. Zero was about to look up at Kaname to see what was wrong, but his hands clamped onto his head, right over his ears, and pushed him mouth back down.

"God, Zero...don't stop--keep going, please," Kaname hoarsely begged. His feet, which had been flat on the floor, rose up to his toes, and Kaname moaned brokenly once Zero resumed the motions.

Zero was a bit shocked when he all but manhandled him into continuing, but he wasn't being aggressive and demanding. Figuring that he would let him know if he wanted him to stop, Zero swirled the tip of his manhood against the flat of his tongue before rubbing the tip of his own tongue against the receptive spot on his engorged length. Then dipping his head down over him again, Zero began to move one of his hands to help, letting it follow his mouth. "_I wonder if this is alright."_ His thighs started to move again, so Zero ignored it, taking it as a sign that he was enjoying it. It made Zero happy to know that he was giving him pleasure since he had so selflessly done so for him that morning, and it had really been mind-blowing. Zero's belly felt warm just remembering how good his climax had been...the muscle throbs, the wet release, and the light-headedness. Even now, on his knees between Kaname's thighs, he felt warm and heavy...aroused because the pureblood was too.

Kaname bit down on his lip once Zero involved a hand as well, doubling the sensations that were riding up and down his throbbing member. He opened his eyes a bit, watching top of Zero's head. Zero must have been getting a little breathless, because he stopped for a second, still pumping his hand to keep the momentum. Once he started again, Kaname's stomach muscles convulsed and tightened. "_It's coming soon..."_ The hands that had been resting on the back of Zero's neck, loosely holding fistfuls of his silky hair, tightened until the knuckles turned white.

"A--Almost," he said, which gritted out through his clenched teeth. "Oh, God...it's..." Kaname let out a loud cry, breathing even harder than before. "Uhhh..._uhhhh_...almost, Zero...it's good," he moaned out, panting now. Zero's heart picked up at that, and it galvanized him to move a bit faster, pulling harder with his lips. Kaname did the opposite of gasp, all the air rushed out of his lungs, and he groaned uncontrollably. "_It certainly sounds like he's enjoying it."_ Kaname felt a drop of perspiration roll down his temple over his cheek. Somehow, the CNN anchor's higher-pitched voice was cutting into his thoughts, talking about a riot in central Tokyo, and he could hear the older couch's springs squeaking slightly. Zero's free hand moved, holding his side.

Kaname's face felt hot…_everything_ did, his muscles were burning, his hands were aching, and an undeniably familiar heat was churning in his loins. "_Dear God, Zero...you're going to kill me._" Throwing his head back, Kaname cried out to the ceiling, feeling more sweat roll down his neck. "_Now...it's coming now."_Hell, he didn't give a shit if the nobles heard him at this point. Kaname's breath caught in his throat, and Zero prepared himself, realizing that all of his muscles had frozen.

"Mhmm--Zero! _Uhh!!_" Kaname's last groan was loud but short, and then he seemed to have lost his voice, or had stopped breathing. Zero felt Kaname's hands jerk, tugging only a little on his hair, and at the same time, hot liquid spurted into his mouth. Kaname's jaw fell open, and he breathed in some air finally, but was still throbbing inside Zero's mouth, shakily sighing and gasping. As the last of his essence spilled out, Kaname suddenly let his body relax, somewhat loosening his hold on Zero's hair.

Zero was starting to feel a little embarrassed, especially since he wasn't able to swallow fast enough and some of his seed was leaking from the corner of his mouth, dripping down. "_How am I supposed to clean this up?"_ Mostly though, he just didn't know what to say now. He released Kaname from his mouth and wiping his lips with the back of his hands.

Kaname collapsed back to the couch, eyes closed, and his chest was displayed very sexily, which Zero was quick to notice. He, however, was certain that he looked awful, and quickly stood up, mumbling that he was going to clean up. Darting out of the room, he heard Kaname languidly moan his response. Walking down to the bathroom, he made quick use of the sink, thoroughly washing his hands and mouth. The water didn't seem to help cool his face though. Shutting off the water, he realized that he couldn't hear the television anymore. Still flushed with excitement and embarrassment, Zero dried his hands and face and checked his hair, finding that it was only a little messy from Kaname's grasping hands.

Zero tried to walk casually back down the hallway after a bit and cautiously peaked into the back room again, finding that Kaname was watching the doorway, having tucked himself into his pants once again but having left his shirt wide open. He was still sitting near the edge of the couch with his shoulders against the back of the couch. He seemed to have his energy back and waved at him to come towards him. Zero wrung his hands and walked to the couch, standing next to his left knee.

Smiling at him and flashing those perfect white teeth, Kaname grabbed at Zero's hand and easily pulled him off balance, catching him in his lap. Zero almost cried out, grasping at his shoulders once his rump landed on Kaname's thighs. The pureblood clamped him to himself with one arm around his shoulders and one arm around his waist. Licking his lips, Kaname looked down at Zero's mouth. He was amused to see that his cheeks were flaring red.

"Who knew...that you'd make me beg," Kaname whispered, purposefully provoking him. He felt Zero's embarrassment roll off of him in waves.

"I'm glad you liked it," Zero whispered back, shyly looking into his steady gaze.

"You know, I'm never going to think of CNN in the same way again," he joked, earning a smile and a laugh from Zero. Kaname felt Zero relax in his arms, and his heart warmed to know that he was starting to feel more comfortable around him. Sex was one thing, but being intimate like they were now...that was different. Zero seemed to have trouble with it, but Kaname was determined to get him used to it. As many intimate moments as he could make would be in their future, as well as sexual moments, if _he_ had anything to say about it. Kaname had the feeling that he would find a much more vibrant, stunning young man hiding inside his Zero...once he opened up to him. Touching his forehead to his, Kaname let the tip of his nose brush against his cheek.

"But really, I did like it..." he said softly, smiling."Thanks." Zero smiled as well, proud of himself despite his anxieties about such a bold move. It seemed to flatter Kaname so he decided to be just as bold in the future. Kaname held him a little longer, happily plotting.

_---6:30am, Tuesday---_

Zero jerked awake, hearing the blaring screech of the alarm clock. He heard someone softly groan behind him. Taking a deep breath, Zero rolled forward over his side, lifting his arm to tap the snooze button. Kaname's arm, draped over Zero's side, pulled on his shirt since he didn't roll with him. Once the alarm was off, if only for ten minutes, Zero returned to his original position, snuggled back against Kaname's chest with his soft breath warming the back of his neck. Zero only wished to go back to sleep, and closed his eyes, forgetting that he had to go to school that day. He felt Kaname's arm tighten around him and heard him take in a deeper breath.

"Ten more minutes," Zero mumbled, relaxing his muscles.

"It's time to get up, Zero," he said in a low voice, making the bed bounce a little as he propped himself up on his elbow. Zero groaned, bringing his hand up to rub at his eyes. Kaname's left hand firmly grasped Zero's hip, and he leaned over him.

"But I'm still sleepy," Zero petulantly complained. Kaname smiled and squeezed his hip. Sliding his hand up his stomach, he felt the thin cloth of his t-shirt pull across the trim muscles as he went, and he firmly pinched his left nipple, earning a jerk from Zero.

"Do you need me to wake you up?" Kaname huskily asked, lightly squeezing his hand.

"K--Kana..." Zero said, feeling his heart speed up with adrenalin. His hand released his nipple though, and slid back, traveling underneath the light bedcovers, and was coming dangerously close to slipping beneath his pajama shorts.

"It might make us late for school, though," he said, already feeling the first tentative swirls of arousal in his stomach. Zero's body tightened, and Kaname was about to squirm his hand beneath his shorts when Zero flipped the covers back, gasping in surprise.

"Wait! I can't believe I forgot that we had school today!" Zero announced, practically dumping himself out of bed and scrambling to his suitcase, _still_ unpacked. He pulled out his school uniform and new underwear, his overgrown bangs flying about his face. "I get the shower first!" He called back, padding into the bathroom and firmly shut the door behind him.

Kaname still lay there, propped on his elbow, and looked at the door in amazement. He heard the shower turn on a few seconds later. Falling to his back with a huff, Kaname closed his eyes, willing his arousal to abate. "_Well, I _did _wake him up."_ He tossed his arm over his eyes, smiling to himself.

Last night, as they headed up to bed, Zero had been blushing like mad. Though he had been relaxed for the rest of the afternoon, conversing with him easily and exchanging a few jokes, Zero kept glancing at him askance during the nightly news. He pretended not to notice, but it was hard not to smirk or snicker. "_Zero is already thinking about bedtime."_ Once they reached his bedroom, Zero seemed to be unsure of what to do, and hesitated for a few seconds. Seeing Kaname pull off his shirt with his body turned towards the dresser, Zero bent down to his suitcase and brought out his bedtime shorts. Dropping his jeans, Zero dared a peak at Kaname, but he was browsing through the shirts folded inside his dresser drawers, not looking at him. Zero quickly got into his shorts.

Zero didn't know it, but he had missed the many coy glances thrown his way from the dresser, and Kaname, now laying in the bed the next morning, wished that he could have seen Zero entirely unadorned again. After Zero returned from brushing his teeth, Kaname was already in bed, having set the alarm. Zero hesitated a bit at the door, but then seemed to fist his hands as well as his resolve, and he strode towards the bed determinedly. Zero shut off the lamp on the nightstand, and slid between the cotton sheets. Kaname gathered him against him, but he noticed that Zero was a little tense. His body was a bit too stiff, and his breathing was a bit too fast.

"Are you not sleepy yet?" he decided to ask. Zero didn't answer for a few seconds.

"I guess not." Kaname smiled, glad that Zero couldn't see his face at the moment.

"Why's that? I thought you said that you usually went to bed by now. And you've been so tired lately." He spoke softly, not needing his voice to carry more than a couple of inches. Zero felt his face blush, disinclined to admit his reasons for being on edge. It turned out, though, that Kaname was going to supply his answer. "Are you waiting for me to start touching you?" He wished for the second time that week that he could see Zero's face in order to archive the expression it held. Zero made small noises from the back of his throat for a couple of seconds, speechless.

"I--I guess I am, but...maybe we shouldn't," Zero whispered, hoping he wouldn't take it the wrong way. Kaname felt his heart sink a bit, and worry clawed in his stomach. When Zero didn't hear Kaname say anything, he quickly supplied his explanation. "That--that is, I...it's embarrassing to say, but...if we start something now...I think we might end up...having real sex, and I don't know if...if I'm..." Kaname interrupted him there, having figured out what he meant to say.

"It's okay..." More relieved than disappointed, Kaname held him a little closer, and he had to admit to himself that he was right. He was pretty certain that he wouldn't be able to stop them if they really got going. "...As long as I get a goodnight kiss, though." Wishing to himself that this really would be enough, Kaname steeled himself, stiffening his spine. He heard Zero give a light laugh, and his body tightened as Zero leaned over the short space between them. His lips found Kaname's a little awkwardly, but he centered in on his mouth quickly enough. His kisses were still young and inexperienced, but Kaname was all too happy to teach him. Their lips pressed together a few times, with Kaname shallowly slipping his tongue inside Zero's mouth. Backing off just for a split second, Kaname asked him to open wider, and resumed their kiss, finding better access and delving his tongue to where Zero's mouth was most sensitive. It only lasted for perhaps ten seconds, but the kiss was sweet. His heart was only beating at a pleasantly moderate pace, much to Kaname's relief.

"Now go to sleep. Before either of us changes their mind," he whispered, seeing the reflection of the room's weak light in his eyes. Zero bid him a good night as well, and settled against him. Forcing himself to think of neutral thoughts, sleep came easily, and Kaname slept the night away, though Zero did shift a couple of times, which only slightly disturbed him--he only really remembered tightening his arms and feeling his soft hair against his nose.

**KKKZZZ*KKKZZZ*KKKZZZ*KKKZZZ*KKKZZZ*KKKZZZ**

**LOL sorry it sort of ending with a flash back but I was having a hard time on where to stop the chapter so yeah. Hey guys! Trade you a shout out for a review???? LOL tell me what you guys think okay! Don't be greedy and only read but not review *sticks out tongue* LOL until next time ^_^**

**^stallion14^**


	8. Zero says no means no

**A/N****: Hello everyone! How's it going?? Anyway I told you I would be updating sooner didn't? Did you guys doubt me? Gasp! You did, didn't you? LOL It's all good though but I told you guys OGT is done so I'm free ^_^**

**Shout outs/appreciations: ****drum roll please…………………………….(1)****VK-fan**** yes they are cute aren't they??? Don't you just love them XD thanks for the review. For the second shout out………………………………….(2)****Atheist1 ****those sweet questions will be answered of course ^_^Thanks a bundles! For the third…………………………(3)** **ayame shuurei**** Aw I'm sorry for the long wait but now I'm back so you can now relax ^^ Thankies to you for the review!**

**SUMMARY****: It wasn't suppose to turn out this way, **_**he **_**wasn't suppose to get involved! And if that's not the worst part then things get a little dramatic between Kaname and Zero and it's enough to have Zero feeling disgusted with himself and leave Kaname completely pissed off with him in the worst way. Too much drama that I can't stand it! **

**Chapter****: Zero say no means no**

* * *

Taking a galvanizing breath, Kaname hefted to his feet, a little beat after the exhaustive week he had. "_Has it really only been a week?"_ He had met Zero the Monday before now, and yet...he was already living with him. The thought was a little hard to digest, and Kaname found himself distracted as he pulled out his clothes for the day. "_It feels so fast. Zero is absolutely right…starting something more physical than what we have now could turn out to be..."_ Unwilling to finish the thought, especially since he was finding his affections toward Zero growing exponentially every day and bordered on the lines of obsession, Kaname rapidly blinked his eyes and thought only of what he had to do before leaving.

Zero, having turned on the shower, quickly brushed his teeth while the water warmed up. Zero couldn't help but feel happy, he was happy that he had someone like Kaname, he was happy that he was away from his father and receiving treatment. _"Treatment…" _That didn't seem like the right word to use but that's what he was currently going through, right? But why did it leave him feeling… strange? "_But getting__ hit on a daily basic was..." _Dropping his bedclothes to the floor, Zero stepped into the shower, and made a hiss like noise, having turned the temperature up too high. He grabbed for the shower knob and turned it down, sighing when the cooler water soothed his shocked skin. "_I really need to get a grip."_

_---7:50am, School Parking Lot---_

Zero felt uneasy as soon as Kaname pulled his car into the teachers' parking lot at the high school. The feeling stemmed from the possibility that someone might see him getting out of a teachers car, and he felt uneasy that such a thing should bother him "_These people don't matter to me, right? Isn't that what I decided? It's not like I have a choice anyways, right?"_ He seemed to be asking himself a lot of questions recently, though he realized that his reason for discretion was for Kaname's protection, rather than his own, it was only a small consolation. Kaname put the car into park, jarring Zero from his thoughts, and he removed his seatbelt.

"Why don't you run on ahead? I'll see you at lunch, either way," he said, unfastening his own seatbelt. Zero looked at him, surprised but relieved, and looked about the parking lot to see if any other faculty were milling their way towards the school. One was, but his back was already to them as he made his way to the front doors. Zero leaned over the armrest and landed a kiss on Kaname's cheek, hoping that the pureblood picked up on his feelings behind the kiss. "_Thank you for understanding..."_

"See you later, Kaname." He whispered to his ear. Then securing his hold on the backpack on his lap, he pulled the door handle, hearing it click as it opened, and stepped up and out of his car. Carefully hefting his book-bag onto his shoulder, Zero took a fast pace to the sidewalk leading away from the parking lot. It was usual to see him on it, though his father used to drop him off there every morning. Zero sighed, looking down at the sidewalk and watching his school shoes click against the cement. _"I should call him..."_

_---Phys. Ed---_

Zero was _not_ looking forward to the fall fitness tests that he had to make up--the fifty-yard dash and pull-ups, both of which required his ribs' full cooperation. "_If I can't do it, the teacher won't ask anyway, nothing to worry about_" It wasn't like Zero was lazy or anything, it was just that even though Kaname had healed his obvious bruised, he was able to heal the slightly misplacement of his ribs or the burning ach whenever he lifted his arms or exerted too much pressure on them_._

The teacher set the girls to playing volleyball, with her assistant watching, and the boys playing basketball. The teacher escorted Zero out to the track field for both tests. Since it was close to lunchtime, the air was getting heavy with heat and humidity. Zero felt his skin start to moisten from merely walking underneath the noontime sun as he and the teacher, a fair man in his early thirties named , walked to the dash line on the high school's new track.

"Did your project go well yesterday?" He suddenly asked. Zero only nodded. Mr. Rokujo smiled, commenting further.

"I was speaking with and he said that you might tryout for the high jump team?" Zero blinked, wondering how much Ichiru really talked about him, and inwardly squirmed, not sure why it bothered him.

"Hn," He grunted somewhat rudely. "He talked to me about it." He wasn't really interested.

"Well, I don't know if you knew this, but I'm the high jump coach. I always thought you were a fast runner, great poise, damn good balance that's for sure, but you never came to tryouts...I thought I had made it obvious that I wanted you to at least tryout, but...I suppose my way of subtlety is too subtle," He laughed a little, scratching behind his ear. A confused look came over Zero's face briefly, and he realized that he had missed all the signals that the gym teacher had ever sent him--the mentions of high jumps meets and how Zero "should go see them." "_Am I that dense?!"_ well, it still didn't change anything.

"The next meet isn't until Friday, we'll be doing sprints for about thirty minutes, and then a few jump techniques for the remainder of the time, then you can go home. We're hoping to get started on conditioning for the freshman's, but since you're a senior and trying out for the first time, you might want to jog a bit in the mornings by yourself…that is…if you're interested of course." Zero sighed, taking it in a little at a time. _"Doesn't sound worthwhile to me." _

"I'll consider it, Rokujo sensei." And he would but that didn't mean that his answer would be yes.

The teacher nodded and instructed him to get on the starting line.

Rokujo got Zero's set at the dash line and jogged down to the fifty-yard mark. Fiddling with his stopwatch for a couple of seconds, he then yelled for Zero to get ready and held up his arm. Zero crouched down over the dash line, setting his feet in the stirrups. The teacher yelled 'set,' and Zero took himself off of his haunches, looking straight ahead. "_No pain...no gain."_

"Go!!" Zero pushed off, hearing the scrape of his tennis shoes against the track stirrups, and his heartbeat was immediately audible in his head. He felt his face heating up but really, this was all for show. He could easily reach great distances with little effort. He knew Kaname could outrun him but he could easily outrun any human and any animal that crossed his path; make it be cheetah, cougar, and leopard, anything except a higher level of vampire then himself. He was holding back because of the obvious reasons. He couldn't be seen as a fast moving maniac or else there would be questions and the media would get involved and, Oh, how he really didn't need any of that.

His shoes smacked the track turf, and Zero bit down on his lower lip when a severely painful jab got him in his right side. Knowing that he should have told the teacher that he needed a few more days, Zero shoved the thought away, and just concentrated on getting to the finish line. It felt like only a second had gone by as he ducked towards the goal, halting his leg movement and slowing down. His ribs throbbed with pain, but Zero was happy to note that he had run without making it noticeable. Forcing himself not to rub his ribs, he turned around, looking at the teacher questioningly, not even out of breath. The teacher was staring at the stopwatch, his mouth open a little. The man blinked a couple of times and looked up, making an excited noise.

"Wow, Zero!!! That's what I'm talking about man; you just broke the school record! You should be on the track team as well because…." Zero just buzzed the man out because all he could think about was, _"Dam, I guess I didn't hold as much as I thought I did." _

_---Lunch, Tuesday---_

"And then he said that I had broken the school record." Zero groaned and ran a hand through his hair. Kaname chuckled at this information as he watched the clearly distressed ex-human.

"You sure you weren't trying to showing off, at least a little?" Kaname almost snickered, still finding it amusing. Zero glared.

"Of course not you idiot! Why the hell would I want to show off for? Dumbass!" Right there is where it hit Zero like being smacked with a thick folded newspaper, he was acting different. He was acting different know that he was spending so much time with the pureblood. He would have never spoken like that if he still lived with his father, he would have never talked like that if his mother was still alive, but he did….but then he realized that it wasn't entirely a bad thing. He was becoming more open and less tense, more playful and less scared. Kaname had done this to him, Kaname had shed a new light into his life, Kaname had silently taught him the fun of life, and he owed it all to Kaname and no one else. The pureblood had been doing more for him then he ever realized and he suddenly felt…special.

He looked back up at the pureblood and was met with a calm and gentle smile.

"So, are you going to tryout this Friday then?" Kaname asked smoothly.

"I—I don't know, I mean I don't really—I never really…" Zero stopped because he was beginning to sound like a stuttering idiot. Kaname laughed sweetly, not mockingly, as he laid his hand on top of Zero's that was on the bench between them.

"I think you should, it would be fun, don't you think?" Kaname encouraged but didn't force. Zero felt his heart swell. Why was he just noticing these tiny details?! Kaname was so tender with him, so gentle that it made him feel so got damn good. He longed for this ever since his mother's death and here it was, here it has been since he first met the pureblood. He had done nothing but helped, he had done nothing but been gentle with him, he had done nothing but tried to make him feel better about himself and about his views on life. Oh God, no wonder he was so in love with the pureblood. "But of course, only if you want to, no pressure." Kaname teased and leaned over and pecked Zero on the lips. Kaname continued to smile, even when Zero looked at him with wide eyes and that beautiful blush that the pureblood adored so much.

"Well, it can't be all that bad right?" Zero said. Kaname shrugged. Oh, and the honesty the pureblood presented him with. He loved that about Kaname as well. _"I love him so much that I can't stand it!" _"Then I'll do it." Zero finally concluded.

"That's the spirit Zero. But if you had decided not to then that would have been alright too, you know. You are doing this for yourself, right?" Kaname squeezed his hand and ran this thumb over the smooth skin. Zero only nodded, feeling overwhelmed by the amount of love Kaname was giving him. It felt so good that he felt like being selfish and taking up all of Kaname's gentle touches, words of praise, all of it, just for himself. "Good. We should stop at the store to get you some sweats then." Zero only nodded. He wanted to say it, his undying love for the pureblood, but he just couldn't.

It was only a little cooler today, but the trees were giving some nice shade, even if they didn't let much more than a few breezes float through.

"You'll be fine, I'm sure. As long as your ribs get better by the time the practices start." He saw Zero look up at him, confused, and his mouth opened. "_Oh crap..."_

"How did you know my ribs still hurt?" Kaname nervously chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Well...I don't have classes to teach during your PE period, so..."

"You watch me during class?" It was more of a statement. Kaname held up his hands in defense, hoping not to get attacked. "I'm just checking up on you, I swear. And it's not like I don't have reason," he argued, pointing his finger at him. Zero could only smile which caught Kaname off guard.

"And what reason is that? I can get through the school day without help, you know, I'm not a girl." Zero crossed his arms, pretending to be upset.

"I saw your face when you had your back to the PE teacher...and I know your expressions now, so you can't hide the pain from me," he said, his tone turning serious but gentle.

"I know." Zero whispered. That was also another thing he loved about Kaname, he knew him so well that it was almost scary. But that was fine with Zero, as long as it was Kaname. Kaname put his hand back on Zero's again as they sat in silence for a while. The only thing they could hear was the pleasant chirping of the birds and rustling of the leaves and the wind.

A warm breeze, very softly, blew through the trees that crowded in around them, slid over them from Zero's direction. Zero felt as if the wind was gently blowing him to Kaname, encouraging him. Zero languidly licked his lips, letting them fall open and watching Kaname's eyes for the right moment. "_I want him to kiss me." _Kaname turned fully to the other with worry as he put his hand on Zero's cheek, as if asking him if he was alright.

Another breeze, stronger this time, played with Zero's un-tucked and slightly unbuttoned shirt as it blew past him, towards the man next to him. "_I want him to touch me"._ It never really did matter to him that Kaname was a pureblood…he was warm and alive, and his affections were just as strong, if not stronger, than his own. Kaname's concern for him was always visible, but he didn't coddle him. He treated him like a man should be treated. "_I want him to love me."_

At that moment, Zero finally stopped thinking of all the things that separated them.

He automatically tilted his head back into Kaname's warm palm, and his eyes half-closed as his mouth hovered over Kaname's. He wanted Kaname's kiss so _badly_ right at that moment. He opened his mouth a bit more, pulling himself towards him with his hands fisted in the purebloods shirt. Still, Kaname hesitated, teasing him. Zero thought to kiss him instead of waiting, but Kaname pulled his head back just enough to avoid him.

"Kaname..." Zero whispered, letting the back of his head rest in his palm again. He watched through half-lidded eyes as Kaname gently sniffed along the line of his jaw, tickling his cheeks with his bangs. Zero could _smell_ Kaname from this close, and his hands were starting to feel sweaty as they clung to the pureblood. Kaname's mouth was once again suspended above his and Zero closed his eyes, keeping his lips apart as he waited for him. Kaname leaned a bit farther over him, opening his jaw. He let his tongue slip out and into Zero's mouth, swallowing the small noise Zero made as he sealed his lips to the others.

It was their first mature kiss. There was no guilt from Zero, no hesitation from Kaname--only passion was exchanged. Zero gave as much as he took, sucking at Kaname's lips and tongue. Kaname poured everything into the kiss, hoping to show Zero the eddying depth of his desire for him. He held Zero as tightly as he dared, very aware of the harden nipples crushed against his chest and of the soft texture of his school shirt. Both of their hearts were in their throats, pulsating fast and shallow, and creating a heady air between them.

What happened next was enough to almost give both of them a heart attack.

A twig snapped, and they heard a small gasp. Both of them broke apart, and Zero's neck muscles almost over-exerted themselves as he turned to look behind him. It seemed to happen in slow motion for both Zero and Kaname. The wind seemed to blow by the figure as if in a storm, and Zero's hair had fanned as he turned, seeking the source of the noise. Looking back, they saw the shocked expression of a fellow student, someone they both knew, who brought up their hands, smacking them over their eyes in embarrassment.

"Oh! I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry! I didn't see anything! I'm so, so sorry!" Ichiru protested, shaking his head. Zero's mouth was open, and Kaname looked on in amusement and a little annoyance for being interrupted. "I just wanted to congratulate you about the record thing and--I saw you walking out here--I can't believe I'm so stupid! I can explain myself! I'm so sorry, Zero!" Hearing his name galvanized Zero into speaking, and he came out bumbling his words.

"I-I-Ichiru, I-I...Kuran sensei and I just...oh God, I this is awkward as hell!" Zero complained, coming to a stand to make it a little less awkward. Ichiru brought his hands down, shaking his head and waving his hands about in frenzy.

"It's not that! I swear! Let me explain!" Zero was only afraid for Kaname, for if he lost his job. He had no idea what Ichiru planned to do with this new information. Kaname wouldn't go to jail of course, but he would be fired on the spot, and Zero would feel guilty for a million years if that happened.

"Ichiru, please...don't te--" Zero started. Kaname slowly stood up, standing behind Zero and bringing his hands up to the slightly shorter male's shoulders. Ichiru interrupted, though, waling a step closer still.

"I saw you at the theater last Friday..."

Zero's eyes widened and he took in a deeper breath. "_He's known for this long! He must have been planning something this whole weekend!"_

"I was really confused at first. I had called your house on Saturday night to ask you about it--because...well, I'm not a blabbermouth like my friends. You see, I have my own secrets to keep so...geez, I'm blabbering _right now_." Ichiru looked off to the side with a blush tinting his cheeks, rubbing his arm and fidgeting a bit with his book-bag strap. Zero's heart slowed down a bit, and he listened as Ichiru went on.

"I was at the movies in Augusta last Friday with my mother--she wanted to see that really stupid Disney movie that came out, you know?" He said, looking back at Zero. Zero lifted his eyebrows in ignorance, having not heard of the movie. "Oh, but that's beside the point...sorry...uhm. Geez, where do I start? Okay, so I saw you at the movies, getting into a black car. When the car light came on when you opened the door, I recognized Kuran sensei, and...just kind of stood there for a minute. My mother had to snap me out of it though".

"So I called the next day when I thought you might be home, but your dad said that you weren't living with him for a while--he sounded like he was sick so I thought maybe he had Chicken Pox or something and didn't want to give it to you. I didn't ask, though, because I didn't want to pry or anything, but he said that 'He's living with his Anatomy teacher for a while.' That was really confusing...geez, I was confused this weekend, wasn't I?" Ichiru tried to make the situation less tense.

Zero listened the whole time, his mouth slightly open as he tried to digest Ichiru's convoluted story. Kaname was unmoving, holding the same expression as Zero.

"When you and Kuran sensei weren't at school yesterday, no one really noticed, but...well, I did, of course. I didn't say anything, though!" Ichiru said, flailing his hands. "I asked one of the other teachers if she knew where Kuran sensei was--Mrs. Honda, the History teacher? Anyway, I asked her, and she said that 'I believe he and a student are doing research for some paper that he wants to do, so they had to go off-campus today.' And that really confused me, but I was determined to get it straight in my head when I saw you today, but then Rokujo sensei just had to take you out for stupid fitness tests, and I got so involved in the stupid basketball game inside that I forgot to ask you when you came back in. You got dressed so fast and left so fast that I didn't get to talk to you, but Rokujo sensei...geez, was he excited. He was practically bouncing up and down, and told me that you had broken the school's fifty-yard dash record! So I ran around, trying to find you during lunch, and saw you walking out here at the last second, so I got my lunch from my locker and came out, thinking that you were probably going to be alone, and..."

"I'm blabbering again, aren't I? Sorry! I'm so dense sometimes. Anyway, the thing is...since...since you were at the movies, and...are living with Kuran sensei 'n all that, and... since I just saw what I saw..." Ichiru started blushing again, and scuffed the grass with his school shoes awkwardly. Zero felt his heart rise up to his throat again. "_Damnit...Ichiru wasn't suppose to get involved, no one was!"_

"Well, I just feel so much closer to you now!" Ichiru perked up, launching forward and taking a hold of Zero's hands. Zero's eyes widened in shocked disbelief. Ichiru grinned as if he just won the lottery, and the rush of relief in Zero's chest was enough to make him want to smile at his younger brother.

"You see, I'm dating someone named, and he's a student at Fujinu med school! He's going to be a doctor--a cardiologist, and he's smart and funny, and I really, really love him, but... my mother would kill me. He's twenty-six-years-old, and if my mom ever found out--she wouldn't care if it was the Emperor of China, but if he or she was older than twenty, then I was strictly forbade to go near them! She's so mean Zero! And! And then I saw that you and Kuran sensei were together, and it's so sweet and admirable! It makes me miss Kaito so much! I call him every night and tell my mom that it's my friends I'm talking to when it's really Kaito, and none of my friends know because I know that they'd blabbermouth it to their other friends. My mother would surely find out! And she would kill me Zero!"

Ichiru went on for another five minutes, explaining the torturous ways of his wily mother, Shizuka, and Zero only half-listened, incredibly grateful that no one besides Ichiru had found out. If it were anyone else, he and Kaname would be in serious trouble, well mostly him, not so much the pureblood, but still.

Eventually, though, Ichiru made Zero promise to call him that night, having written his phone number on Zero's hand, and left Zero and Kaname to their lunch, jauntily winking at Zero and saying that this just proved that they were definitely related then jogging away. Zero sighed and looked at Kaname who still had that smug ass facial expression plastered on that perfect face of his. Zero only rolled his eyes at the pureblood and playfully hit the man upside the head as he walked passed him to the bench.

"_Yeah….I'll tell you the truth one day Ichiru, all of it. I just hope you'll forgive me." _

_---Passing of Time---_

The rest of Tuesday went by without a hitch, although Ichiru kept winking at Zero, eliciting a blush of renewed embarrassment every time. Wednesday was incident-free, and Zero was able to start Friday's pre-tryout practices without too much pain. He was on the phone with Ichiru for at least half an hour each night, discussing the random things that only young people discussed with Zero secretly just trying to learn more about his younger twin. Kaname thought it was good for him to have a friend, especially one as loquacious as Ichiru but still, Kaname wasn't dumb and he knew Ichiru wasn't that ignorant, they were twin brothers, that much was obvious. Though, Kaname didn't mention anything about it because if Zero didn't bring it up then he wouldn't either. It was that simple. Zero made it onto the track and high jump team, having won the support of the entire club when he beat the best senior on the boys' track team in the 100-yard dash. The amount of screaming at the end was enough to temporarily make his ears ring.

At the end of October, right around Halloween, the weather turned much colder, having settled into winter, but it didn't affect Zero's life much beyond the outdoor track meets. He had dropped the high jump team in favor of track. Their team had won all of its meets so far, but the season was only just starting to get into full swing. Though, there were those moments with Kaname were he drank the intoxicating pure-blood every month to keep Zero from falling to a level-E.

The court date for Zero's father had been set for November 30th, so Zero knew that he and Kaname still had at least a few more weeks together. He called his father every couple of days, but he never seemed any happier. The social worker assured Zero that the man was attending the mandatory therapy sessions, but Zero wasn't so sure if they were helping. His father seemed to have sunk deeper into depression as far as Zero could tell--which didn't bode well in his heart.

The only times when Zero wasn't worried about school, or his father, or about someone discovering his relationship with Kaname, were the times when Kaname distracted him from everything else. Kaname was always close to him, unless they had to maintain a distance to hedge against exposure, Kaname always stood next to him, touched his shoulder or his elbow, constantly maintaining his presence.

But even more than that, they slowly became more and more intimate. A couple of times a week, Zero would surprise Kaname with a personal session on the sofa...or against the kitchen counter, wherever he found the pureblood. Even more often, though, Kaname reciprocated the same to Zero, usually in the mornings after he came back from his shower, but sometimes, the moment they returned from school, Kaname would pull him along to the bedroom and pleasured him there.

Zero surprised even himself when he only missed his morning jogs perhaps once a week, usually because he was too eager to have Kaname between his thighs again. Now that Zero was more used to their intimacy, he almost craved his attentions. Kaname would kind of smirk at him in his arrogant way, but gave in whenever he asked. Zero always enjoyed wiping that smirk right off of his face, though, when he sunk to his knees in front of Kaname--his expression then was priceless.

_---2:00pm on Saturday, November 2nd---_

Ichiru had graciously lent to Zero his recorded DVD of a Stephen King mini-series that had been on TV for the past two weeks. The series had just ended, a whopping eight hours, but Zero had seen none of it, and Ichiru "insisted" that Zero see the mini-series. So Zero popped in the first of four tracks having pushed the coffee table in the back TV room to the side so that he could sit on the floor to watch. Knowing that he'd be sitting there for a good eight and a half hours, Zero put on his pajama pants and his hippie-like white shirt, which hung a bit down his right shoulder since the neck was so wide.

He only hoped that he remembered to eat something halfway through the mini-series.

Kaname had gone to the grocery store, saying that Zero could stay here to watch the show. Zero had offered to just wait until they got back so that he could help him, but Kaname waved away his offer. However, as the show started, Zero felt a bit cold sitting there on the floor, so he grabbed the throw blanket from off of their bed, which he had not yet slept in, and brought it back downstairs. After about an hour of watching, Zero was so enthralled with the exceedingly strange plot that he lost track of the time and was surprised when Kaname came back from the store so soon. He walked back to the TV room, having set down the bags of groceries in the kitchen, and leaned against the door jam. Zero attempted to hide his reaction to the pose the pureblood struck--his black t-shirt stretched just the right way across his chest, accenting his chocolate hair, and his hips jutted just the right way as he leaned against the doorframe, drawing attention to his trim waist and the sharp lines of his well-pressed black slacks.

"But I've been gone for an hour," he explained, one eyebrow up. Zero looked to the clock, having pressed pause on the DVD player, and exclaimed at how fast the time had gone by. "Must be a good show," he commented. Kaname exited again, saying that he needed to put the groceries away, but ninety-nine percent of his reason was to gather his wits about him again. Zero's shirt was drooped over his right shoulder, not only displaying his beautiful shoulders and delicate clavicle bones, but also the milky curve of his smooth neck that practically begged to be claimed. Bending his mind to putting away groceries, he suppressed several instincts that had bombarded him at once.

A few minutes later, Kaname walked back in, having removed his shoes. Hunkering down behind Zero, he leaned back against the edge of the sofa and pulled him against his chest. Zero immediately launched into a well-summarized flow of the plot for the past hour, and Kaname wondered if Zero had been practicing it in him head for when he got back.

"This is one messed-up plot," Kaname said, having been caught up. Zero nodded, his hair tickling his chin, and Kaname felt his body relax a bit more. The lavender shampoo he used was what did it. Kaname smiled wryly behind Zero's head, for he had the strange urge to bury his face in his hair and take several deep breaths.

_---6:00pm---_

At the end of the second track, Zero's behind was starting to fall asleep, and they were both getting hungry, so a break was announced, and they made their way to the kitchen. Zero made himself a quick sandwich, pouring out a glass of milk, and Kaname took some leftover Onigiri from their dinner on Thursday. Zero ate standing up, once in a while commenting on how sore his rear end was and earning a smile from Kaname.

"Want me to rub it for you?" he eventually asked, popping a single rice ball into his mouth. Zero shot him a half-dirty look, but then lifted his chin and the second half of her PB&J.

"When you've earned it," He haughtily said, unable to keep the joking smile from his face. He heard Kaname choke on his food, and chuckled lightly as he chewed the last of his sandwich. Then gulping down the last few swallows of milk, Zero turned to set the empty glass in the sink, and Kaname, as he gasped for air after dislodging the food in his throat, couldn't help but think of how far Zero had come from just a couple of months ago. He easily exchanged sexual jokes with him, and kept physical contact with him without fidgeting. Just as he had guessed, Zero was turning out to be an intoxicating man.

"Movie time." Zero declared, walking back down the hall. Kaname watched the way his shirt moved about his shoulders before he disappeared from the kitchen, and thought of the small package he had bought today at the store. Feeling a blush rise to his cheeks, Kaname incredulously wondered when he had become so enamored of him that...

Leaning away from the counter, he dropped the last of the Onigiri onto his plate and dumped it into the trash. Washing his hands with hot water and dishwashing soap, Kaname's mind was distracted, that was for sure. After drying his hands, Kaname popped a couple of mints into his mouth, worried about his breath for some reason, and walked back to the TV room, finding Zero attentively watching the news.

"Kaname...it happened again," Zero said, pointing at the TV screen. Kaname looked to where he pointed, sitting down next to him.

"A kayaker found the body early yesterday morning and phoned the police on a cell phone. The emergency operator had this to say..." The camera changed and a still photograph of the operator came on the screen. It also listed her name, and the script was written out. "The man who called was very, very distraught--he kept saying that he had never seen a dead body before, and I tried to calm him down, but he was close to hyperventilating. I had to practically order him to walk a good distance away from the body, and only then were we able to get the location out of him." Here, the camera moved back to the anchor, a middle-aged man who bore a very serious expression.

"The police coroner confirmed just moments ago at a press conference that the body found belongs to the kidnapping victim from 2 months ago. The new sheriff, Toga Yogari, has promised swift police response to this latest development, assuring the public that they are closing in on a possible suspect..." The camera once again changed, and a video clip of the sheriff, who replaced the former sheriff after he was forced to resign, rolled onto the screen. "This atrocity will not be allowed, and rest assured that the Police force and the surrounding police districts are working together to find the culprit of these malicious crimes." The new sheriff looked almost bored as the cigarette hung from his mouth and the eye patch that swung around his eye made him seem dangerous, this guy definitely meant business. Zero felt a little intimidated by him...That name rang a bell and that face, he knew he had seen him somewhere before. But, he just couldn't put his finger on it.

"Channel 6 will bring you updates as we receive them...In Clark today, an elderly..." The anchor went on to other news, and Zero's shoulders sagged as she turned to look at Kaname. He looked back at him, wondering what he would say. "_Hmph...so the Hunter is finally getting involved, it's about time, Toga Yagari, this should be fun for you."_ Kaname scoot closer to Zero and settled one arm around his shoulders.

"Back to it then. I'm sure that it'll only get better," he said. Zero half-smiled and nodded, he wanted to ask Kaname about that man, if the pureblood knew him but he dropped it and instead hit play again, and the third track started, heralding another four hours of Stephen King weirdness. Around seven, they both had to take a bathroom break, but they did sit there until ten-thirty, unable to stop watching the show despite the acting talent commissioned for the mini-series. Once the ending credits rolled by, Zero felt drained, glad that the series was finally over. He turned to Kaname, wanting to comment on a couple of discontinuities he had seen, but his words fell short.

Kaname's head was laid back against the sofa, displaying his Adam's apple, and he was softly breathing through his mouth, having fallen asleep. Zero's shoulders slumped, and he smiled softly, wondering just how tired he was. "_He's so cute when he's asleep..."_

Zero leaned over his hip, coming closer to Kaname's face, and poised himself above the pureblood. His hair begged to be touched, shining softly in the dim lamplight of the room. The light made his skin seem to glow, creating an exotic aura about him, and Zero's eyes traveled over the structure of his face, the way he had done many times before now. Kaname's cheekbones were prominent and his jaw was finely sculpted, but his lips and nose were very male, and Zero just wanted to kiss him until he passed out. He confirmed his aim and closed his eyes, leaning down to lightly touch his lips to the ones parted in sleep. His lips made no response, which Zero expected, but then Kaname suddenly moved underneath him.

Zero gasped in surprise, his eyes popping open and his hands automatically gripping his shoulders, and he felt his body being heaved over his lap. Kaname's grip on his sides tickled a bit, and Zero laughed as his rear landed with a thump on the other side of Kaname's knees. Zero looked up at him, seeing his clear eyes in the muted light of the room. Letting go of his shoulders, Zero slid his arms around Kaname's neck and pulled him forward until their chest touch.

"You were _suppose_ to be asleep," Zero accused, smirking up at him, still wanting to comb his fingers through his silky chocolate hair. Kaname smiled back at him, flashing those white teeth as he secured his hold around Zero's torso.

"The perfect bait," he replied, squeezing his arms tighter. Zero smiled back at him, feeling a little frisky despite the long eight hours he had sat there or perhaps because of it. Kaname leaned down, letting his eyelids close, and Zero felt his heart jump inside his chest as he shut his eyes as well. Though they shared sweet kisses often, it was only every few days that they shared a kiss that was more sexual. "_I think I know why..."_

Kaname began the kiss softly, staying shallow. He could taste the remains of the fruity jelly that he had consumed sometime around eight o'clock, and he licked and suckled at Zero's lips to taste more of it. Hearing the sound of Zero's socks skimming the carpet as he shifted, Kaname felt the other curl closer to him, and Zero's breathing quickened, though Kaname was quick to admit that he was also pulling in air a little faster. Zero made a small noise in the back of his throat, and opened his jaw wider, inviting him to delve deeper.

Kaname gladly accepted, lying Zero back onto the floor. He held him close, making their position a little awkward, but Kaname only half-noticed. He took the opportunity to reaffirm the feel of Zero's skin, slipping his hands beneath his loose, white shirt and splaying his fingers over his sides and stomach. Zero jerked a little, but then held Kaname closer, fisting his hand in his brown locks.

Zero drew in air as fast as he could through his nostrils, loving the wet, hot tongue in his mouth and the warm hands underneath his clothes. Lately, it seemed that more and more fantasies of him and Kaname popped into his head, and with an increasing degree of eroticism. At first, he would imagine what he already had--Kaname's experienced hands between his legs, making his stomach churn. But then his daydreams began to produce hazy scenes of joining him in the shower, or turning to him at night and asking for something more. Over the past week, though, he woke in the middle of the night in a cold sweat, despite the neutral temperature of the house and Kaname's body heat. Each time, he had been dreaming of Kaname's hips between his thighs, thrusting forward...

Wanting to experience what it might be like, Zero slid his hands down Kaname's sides, pushing up when he arrived at his waist, and shifting his right leg beneath him when he moved up a bit. Clearing his torso, Zero opened his thighs for him, pulling Kaname between as he set his feet flat on the floor. Zero felt Kaname roll his lower half over, and his chest settled more firmly upon his. Zero suddenly realized that this might make breathing more difficult, but Kaname almost immediately shifted to support his weight on his elbows, all the while heavily rubbing his tongue against Zero's and sucking on his lips as they made small needy noises in the back of their throats.

For a minute or so, Kaname merely kissed him, concentrating on the soft and supple texture of his lips. Kaname could feel Zero's heartbeat against his chest, and the smell of his skin was overwhelmingly manly, reminding him of the sweet musk he so often tasted. He once again longed to feel Zero's skin and shifted. Rolling his hips slowly to the side as he brought up one leg, he butted the top of his thigh against the back of Zero's leg. Zero made another small noise against his mouth, and he wondered if his rapidly growing arousal was evident against his body.

Zero certainly did notice it. It was pressed flush against what ached most when he woke up at night, and Zero couldn't help but tighten his leg around the one Kaname had brought up, pushing himself against him more insistently.

Kaname brought his mouth away for a bit, taking in a much-needed breath before tasting the skin along the line of Zero's neck. His right hand ventured beneath his shirt again, inadvertently tickling Zero's navel and sending little waves of awareness downward. Zero sighed Kaname's name, breaking the silence of the room but only intensifying the electric air crackling around them. His face became flushed, and Zero arched his back downward, pushing his hips forward against Kaname's pelvis. He heard a harsh sigh against his neck, and Kaname's hips returned the gesture, pressing back against the silver haired male. Kaname was immediately reminded of the small package and lube sitting upstairs in his room, and cursed himself for leaving it so far away.

"Kaname...I want to see more of you," Zero whispered to the ceiling, tugging on the shoulder of his shirt. Kaname raised his head, looking down at Zero's rosy cheeks, and straight-armed away from him before leaning back far enough to pull his shirt over his head. Zero instantly followed suit, wrenching his shirt up and flinging it behind himself. Seeing Zero's perfect skin, Kaname let out a long breath and braced one hand next to the one under him.

"Oh God...Zero..." Kaname had not seen Zero's naked upper half for a long while. Mostly, they had been in rooms too dark to tell much of anything, though feeling was all that was really necessary. Now that Zero's father no longer abused him, his body would remain perfection. It made his mouth water, and his loins throbbed with heat.

Zero glided his fingers up the smooth and toned skin that he loved, grazing over the purebloods nipples and kneading the tips of his fingers into his firm pectorals. Kaname imitated him, though his hands stopped before they went much further than the hard peaks of his breasts. He squeezed the hardened mound of hot flesh, Rolling them and testing their tightness. Zero bit down on his lower lip, sighing with every other squeeze, pinch or roll. Zero's skin was starting to moisten, and his manhood was pulsating heavily, longing for Kaname to pay attention to it.

"_I need to make love to him...my heart and body screams for Zero..."_

Kaname's thoughts began to cloud over, and his body slowly took control. His heart was shuddering inside his chest. Zero... Sinking onto his soft and pliant body, Kaname resumed their kiss, blatantly sliding his tongue along Zero's lips and gleaning the last of his fruity taste. Then, plunging his tongue inside the humid cavern of his small mouth, he bucked his hips into Zero's pelvis. Zero gasped into his mouth, surprised since the ridge of Kaname's arousal hit the spot between his cheeks. If he hadn't been still wearing his pajama bottoms..."_he would have been inside me."_ When Kaname pressed his hips forward again, Zero shakily sighed, taking Kaname's tongue again as he continued the kiss, which was getting more and more frenzied as the minutes quickly passed.

Zero's senses were overwhelmed. He could hear Kaname's fast, heavy breaths, almost like panting. He could also hear the sounds of his mouth exchanging a wet kiss with his own, and how their clothes, what little they still had on, rubbed together as he and Kaname imitated the ultimate act. He could still detect Kaname's cologne in the air, and he could taste a strong mint flavor in his mouth. His body...was fairly humming. Zero's manhood pulsated with blood and heats, making it feel heavy and thick. He could easily tell that his boxers were damp, and his soft pajama bottoms stretched over his skin just slightly with each of Kaname's small but hard thrusts.

Kaname shifted, holding his weight on one elbow and bringing his hand down to secure Zero's hip. Holding his lower half in place, he heavily rubbed his pelvis against Zero's own. Zero gasped for air, moaning loudly as a throb of pleasure emanated from where they intimately touched. Kaname almost immediately engulfed him in another kiss, though, and continued to grind their hips together.

Zero's body _needed_ something, but he could barely bring herself to move. The backs of his hands lay limply against the carpet near his head, and his legs refused to lift themselves around Kaname's manipulating hips. Zero's back began to itch a little from the friction between the carpet and his skin, but that was the last thing on his mind. Zero fully realized, despite the haze in his mind, that his body wanted Kaname to make love to him. His mind wanted it too, but something was making him hesitate. "_It's not that he's older, nor that he's my teacher--I've put that aside...but...why can't I ask him to take me upstairs and..."_

"Zero," Kaname hotly whispered. His voice was much different; lower, huskier. He had let off on kissing him in order to let Zero catch his breath and Kaname was nibbling on the soft skin on his shoulder. Zero pulled in air, trying to bring himself to say the words. The hand near his hip slid its fingers beneath the waste-band of his pajama bottoms, and Zero's body became twice as aroused in a matter of thirty seconds, just knowing that Kaname wanted to take off the last of his clothing.

"Uhhn...Kana," Zero sighed, the words coming out haltingly as his hips involuntarily flexed towards him. "_I need something...but...I don't think I'm ready for it or... am I."_ Zero's heart was about to choke him, and both of them were panting for air as they ground against each other more frenziedly. Zero's hands twitched, needing to move and touch him. Kaname's skin glistened with perspiration above him, and Zero just wanted to feel him, have him all over him... "_Why am I so god damn scared?"_

"Let me make love to you," Kaname gruffly asked, kissing his neck and tugging the waist of his pajama bottoms down. Zero felt himself starting to panic, but Kaname continued to pull his clothing off, unaware of Zero's fright. "Please, Zero...let me...I'll be gentle, please." His voice was very deep, very rough, and very lustful--very aggressive. The anxious feelings began to mount quickly then, and Zero wondered if he was going to hyperventilate.

"I--...I can't... Kana," Zero stuttered out, his words thick with emotion. Kaname seemed to settle more of his weight on him, rubbing his aroused organ against him more insistently.

"Zero, please...I need to make love to you," he gasped out, now just leaving his face tucked against Zero's neck. Kaname had never been more aroused in his life. Zero smelled so _good_, he tasted _unbelievably_ good, he felt _so _right and _so _good...the mood had been perfect and Zero had seemed ready. Kaname had begun to seriously think ahead to when he put himself into his body, took his virginity, and watched his face as they made love for the first time. Kaname's body desired him as never before. His mind was foggy with lust. His heart..."_it will explode inside my chest if I ever have the chance to explode inside of him."_

"I can't, I can't! I d-don't know why, but I just can't! Please, Kana," Zero hoarsely whispered in a rushed tone. His arms finally decided to move, and he pushed up on Kaname's shoulder as his other hand attempted to pull his clothing back on.

"Oh God...please say yes, Zero," Kaname grunted, swiveling his hips against him. Zero felt tears gather in his eyes, quickly losing the mood, and he pushed more insistently, making a death grip on the waistband of his pajama bottoms. Begging him to get up, Zero wondered how selfish he was being, but the thought drifted by as quickly as a dozen other thoughts. "Zero, please! I don't know if I can..."

"Kaname stop!! Stop it! I said I don't want to!" Zero yelled, pushing up with all his strength. All of a sudden, Kaname whipped himself away from him, landing on his rear and gasping for air. Kaname looked at him for a split second before rotating his entire body away from him. The chaotic noise in Zero's ears, born from fright, immediately died down, and the room was suddenly deathly silent. Zero brought himself up to a seated position, looking at Kaname's back. His right arm leaned on the sofa, and his knees were drawn close to his chest. His left hand was in front of him, cradling the arousal in his hand as if it were extremely painful. He was still breathing heavily, and he wouldn't look behind him.

Zero didn't know what to say or what to do...not a single word or action popped into his head.

A heavy guilt fell onto his shoulders, and Zero almost wanted to cry out of pure frustration and anger, so angry with himself as he was. "_It hurts for guys to stop when they're that close...I should have stopped it sooner, or not at all."_

"Sorry," Kaname said, his voice back to normal, though it did sound thin and small. He hissed, curling a little bit more in a fetal position. Zero felt a tear trying to squeeze out, and rapidly blinked.

"I...I can help you if..." He began, thinking of using his mouth to end Kaname's pain.

"NO!" he brashly yelled, halfway looking back. Zero flinched, and felt the lone tear drop from the corner of his eye. He heard Kaname sigh, and his shoulders slumped a bit. "...No..."

"_What have I done? ...Kana."_

"It'll go away...eventually," Kaname tiredly said. He looked to the clock, and it read 11:25p.m. "_Maybe by 12:30..."_

"Can I...do something to help?" Zero asked, hoping to somehow repair a bit of the damage.

"Just leave. Knowing that you're half-naked isn't helping..." His tone stung a bit, but Zero knew that he was mostly to blame for what happened. "_I can't lead him on like that...why didn't I stop him early on?"_ "Would you go already?!" Kaname yelled back, curling up again. Zero flinched again, feeling another tear escape from his eye. He hurriedly got to his feet, swaying a bit, but scooped up his clothes and exciting the room.

Kaname closed his eyes, leaning his head against his bicep. If Zero came back again in the next ten minutes, he didn't know if he'd be able to stop himself from... "_What am I, depraved?"_ He smirked to himself, knowing he very well might be. The smile left, though, and he tried to blank his mind, thinking about something mundane like making a list of chores to do the next day.

Upstairs, Zero sat on the floor near the nightstand in Kaname's bedroom, sobbing into his shirt and hoping that Kaname couldn't hear him. It was a good thing the nobles weren't at the penthouse tonight. "_What the hell's wrong with me?! What's WRONG with me?!_" Rocking back and forth, Zero brought his knees to his chest and continued to soak his shirt with angry hot tears as he set his forehead on his kneecaps. "_...What's...wrong with me..."_

* * *

**Thank you all for reading and tell me what you think please and thank you ^_^ Tell me anything that needs to be fixed as well because I really didn't read over it because I wanted to get it out today. Until next time!**

**^stallion14^**


	9. Kaname says it's important to love

**A/N: Hello Hello everyone! School is finally coming to an end. About 15 more days left. *Cheers* Close to the end of the year the teachers throw projects at you like crazy! From EVERY class!! So anyways, in short, soooooo sorry for the looooooong wait! Oh, and I am sure this chapter would leave everyone feeling happy and screaming like the true fangirls (or boys?) that you are! *wink***

**Shout outs/appreciations:**** Drum roll please……………………………(1)****Wistful-Writing**HEHE thank you so much =) You have made me one happy camper! Oh, and thanks for noticing my improvement. I try hard, ya know? **For the second shout out………………………………(2)****Jayn Atsushi** Your review really made me laugh XD you remind me of someone I know. SO anyways thanks a bunch for your review! Amazing…my story, really???? THANKS ^^**For the third…………………………(3)** **XxFantasyxLovexX**You're way too kind ^^ Hehe but I like it anyways!! Thank you for the review! It was sooo sweet *sob* no one has ever said that to me before!!! **And for the fourth shout out…………………………(4) ****Pink Bead Girl** Oh you just knew I was going to give you a shout out after that review didn't you? LOL it was so professional but so sincere ^^ Thanks. And to everyone else that reviewed that I couldn't get to this time around. You are **ALL** great! Don't worry though, I will get to everyone! ^^

**SUMMARY: ****"I ****was**** scared," He admitted. "But I want you to make love to me know." **

**Chapter: Kaname says it's important to love**

Kaname woke with a start, taking in a fast breath and glancing around the room. Looking about, he found that he was still in the living room, and still hunched in a ball next to the sofa. The house was completely silent, and the air held somewhat of a chill. The furnace currently wasn't running, and the clock above his television was digital, so it didn't even _tick-tock_ to break the silence. "_I must have fallen asleep."_

Thankfully, his erection had gone down long before, so his pants fit the way they should and he was without pain. Thinking on what had happened after he had flung himself away from Zero, he grimaced in the regret of hindsight. "_Why did I go so fast when I knew that he's a virgin? Why did I try to push him into it?_ He made to get up, but found that his right arm was asleep, having been propped against the sofa's seat cushions for nearly three hours. Hissing as the pins and needles of an awakening limb jabbed at him, he sat a bit longer, wondering why Zero had suddenly wanted to stop. _"What am I thinking?! Of course I know why he wanted to stop, I think." _

"_Perhaps he had been afraid of the pain?"_ Zero had made it obvious to him that he would be Kaname's first, which was good because Kaname knew he'd utterly hate whoever had been Zero's first had he not been a virgin. "_But no, that's not it."_ Rubbing his right arm as he flexed his fingers, Kaname looked to the spot on the floor where Zero had knelt earlier, trying to placate his anger as the boy flinched in fear from his outburst. All he could think about was the reaction on Zero's face when Kaname had hollered at him to leave him alone.

"_Wait a minute…"_

Audibly cussing, which sounded more like a growling sneer than words, he closed his eyes to the room. Having found his answer, and cursing himself for it, Kaname slowly got up, mindful of his lower back, which now felt like it had been stomped on. He found his shirt and pulled it on angrily, feeling like the biggest jerk in the world. Walking to the bathroom down the hall, he made use of it, and then washed his hands, all the while thinking about what Zero was probably going through right now because of him.

Sure, he was _desperate_ to get himself between those smooth thighs and wrap the boys legs around his hips, but…Zero's feelings were paramount to Kaname's own physical desires, however strong they were—and they _were_ very strong. He was still amazed by how badly he had needed Zero right at that moment. His desire had been so powerful that it was no wonder Zero had mistaken it for aggression.

As he dried his hands, he felt something sinking down upon him, a sickening sensation that settled in his stomach. "_He'll be leaving this house in a few weeks. Then he'll graduate sooner than either of us will expect, and sooner or later forget about me, about us, completely." _

He wondered what exactly it was that he expected to happen between them. He knew that Zero would probably leave him there to go off to college and find a girl or boy better suited to his statues, one who didn't make him feel guilty the way he did. He wouldn't be able to follow Zero; getting a good tenure at a university was like trying to find the last existing dragon. And he wasn't getting any younger...or older. "_I can't be with Zero." _

His heart violently rejected that thought. Just thinking about losing Zero put a lump in his throat. Looking at the mirror over the bathroom sink, Kaname's mind worked frenziedly, trying to find the solution to his awful predicament. Though, nothing seemed to come. He knew he couldn't leave Zero but he also knew that Zero could leave _him_ at any giving moment that he oh-so chose. Feeling a migraine coming on, he put the matter away for another time, needing to go to bed.

Shutting off the bathroom light, and then the light in the back room, he tiredly trudged upstairs, not knowing what to say if Zero were still awake. He stepped as quietly as he could through the upstairs hall and found that his bedroom door was wide open. Walking in, the half-moon night gave off enough light for him to see the outline of his body. Zero was lying on his left side in the middle of the bed, away from him. His shirt was back on, obviously, and his arm rose and sunk as his lungs slowly took in air.

"_He's asleep…"_

Zero was lying on top of the bed covers, and the room was getting colder as the night wore on, so Kaname searched the other bedroom for a quilt. Bringing it back, he unfolded it and bunched it down around the boy's feet, hoping he wouldn't wake up. Then stripping down to his boxers and shirt, he carefully slid into the bed behind Zero, spooning against his back before pulling the quilt up to cover them. Laying his head on the pillow and draping his arm over Zero's side, he immediately felt his heart lighten as the fresh scent of his hair wafted to him.

Already exhausted, Kaname nuzzled his nose to the nape of Zero's neck and fell asleep.

_---9:30 a.m., Sunday Morning---_

Zero's head felt hazy, and his entire body was a little too warm. Sliding open his eyes, he could see that the bedroom was dimly lit. He heard the gentle patter of rain, and realized that it must be overcast outside, making their Sunday morning fresh and wet. Gathering his bearings, he could feel that a blanket was covering him from his feet to his chin, and that an arm was draped over his side.

"_He's…sleeping with me, even after what I had done?" _

He felt tears sting his eyes, but fought them as hard as he could. He had believed that Kaname would snub him and sleep elsewhere, so he had stayed in Kaname's bed since his scent was all over it. He had always loved his scent, and it made him feel calmer. The fact that Kaname cuddled up behind him instead of going to the Kain's bedroom, and even threw on a blanket to keep them both warm, made his heart swell uncomfortably, as if it would burst through his chest, or choke him…or both.

The arm over his side moved a bit, and he knew that Kaname would be waking up soon so he desperately tried to will his soon-to-be tears not to fall, breathing slowly.

Kaname took a deep breath, filling his nostrils with the clean scent of Zero's hair, and squinted one eye open. Glad that the room wasn't bright in the slightest, he opened his other eye, looking at the strands of silver hair in front of him. He felt like tightening his arm, pressing close behind Zero in an attempt to apologize with his body, but he didn't want to wake him.

That, however, is when he realized that he was indeed already awake. Zero sniffed as if crying, and pressed back against Kaname slightly.

"Zero" He whispered, his heart beating a little faster.

"Are you mad at me?" Zero asked. Kaname could feel Zero's arm move as he wiped at his face, probably removing the tears from his cheeks.

"No, I'm not mad at you…" He heard him sniff again. Finding one of Zero's hands, he wrapped his fingers around it and brought it to the younger's own chest. "Don't cry, Zero. It's not your fault." It only seemed to cause more tears, though, and a short sob jerked his body. Kaname felt Zero's other hand rested lightly on top of his own.

"Don't say that…it was at least partly my fault. I shouldn't have let it go on so long if I wasn't sure." Kaname pressed his lips to the back of his shoulder, thinking.

"I think it's something that I did that made you want to stop."

"Something you did?" Zero asked, his voice breathless and thin. Kaname paused for a second or two, trying to think of how to word it correctly.

"I wanted you so badly…that it probably felt like I was forcing you. I think I may have been for at least the last few seconds…" It was actually a little scary thinking that he might have forced him completely.

Zero was silent for a while, and Kaname wondered if Zero was going to say nothing in response. _"Though, __I wouldn't blame him. _

"But you didn't," he said at last. "You didn't force me." Giving him a small laugh, Zero carried on, "And you're even apologizing for it." he sniffed again, letting out a fast breath. "I'll be prepared next time."

He could hear the smile in Zero's voice, but his heart sunk. "_Here we go…"_

"I don't think there should be a next time, Zero," he hedged, hoping that the younger didn't audibly sigh him relief. Zero did tense up, though, so he surged ahead. "You'll be moving out in at least a few weeks, and then you'll be off to college next fall. Maybe…maybe you should save yourself for someone your more exceptive of." It broke his heart—it really did! It practically disgusted him to even _say_ such things, let alone even _think_ those things in the first place. He pressed his forehead to the back of Zero's neck, tightly shutting his eyes.

"But…" He began, his fingers flexing in and around Kaname's hand. "I want you to be my first, Kana," He quietly said, feeling his face heat up. He felt lips against the back of his neck kissing him lovingly. When Kaname spoke, the air puffed out of his mouth, and he could feel his lips moving against his skin.

"Maybe it's for the best that you meet someone you can take home to your father," he said, saying the words that he had been thinking all along. Suddenly, Zero found it was hard to speak around the lump in his throat.

"I don't want anyone else!" he vehemently whispered, gripping Kaname's hand tightly. The pureblood squeezed closer to him, loving what the younger said but wishing he hadn't spoken those words.

"You'll understand eventually," he roughly expressed, finding it difficult to keep his own emotions in check. "You'll meet someone much better than me in college, and be glad that we decided not to have sex." Somehow, Zero highly doubted that.

"I don't care about what might happen in college!" He threw over his shoulder, a little louder but still speaking quietly. Hell, he wasn't even sure if he wanted to go to college anymore, he wanted to make his father proud of him and the only way to do that was to go to a hunters school."I care about what happens now! I don't want to be student and teacher again!"

"I don't think we can be anything else," he quietly said, hardening his heart for what Zero would say to him. He knew that the conversation would only flare into an argument, probably with the end result that he'd get a slap across the face.

"Then what have we been doing for the past few months?" He asked, losing a bit more control as the pillow dampened beneath his wet cheek.

"Living in a dream, perhaps," he supplied, breathing heavily against the back of his neck as a choking sensation gripped his throat. He didn't think it was possible for hearts to break, but now knew why the saying existed, his own heart was slowly shattering into small, crystal pieces, and he could practically feel it with each uneasy breath he took.

"It's not a dream!" Zero angrily denied. Keeping a tight grip on the purebloods hand with his left one, Zero flopped over onto his right side, making the bed dip a little. Once turned over, he slid his left arm around Kaname's body, looking him in the eye and holding tightly. The pain in his face was evident, and Zero knew that his own reflected it.

"Neither of us wants this!" He pleaded, still trying to hold back tears and knowing that his eyes were probably red. "And I don't care what my father says! He doesn't control my life anymore!" Kaname's hand settled against Zero's back, and his eyes searched the younger's face, hoping that he wasn't deluded like he thought he must be.

"And after graduation, then what?" he ask, letting the seriousness of their situation darken his countenance. "Are you going to stay in Tokyo? Skip College and work at a fast food place perhaps?" This gave Zero pause, as it was something he definitely didn't want to submit himself to. "You see what I mean? You want to go somewhere new, and I would only tie you to where you are now. Not much of a choice in this city, Zero, as to what your future will be."

"_You're not getting away that easy."_

"The difference is that I can do anything I set my mind to!" he said, holding him tighter. His tears weren't slowing down very much, but he was feeling a new resolve. No one was going to tell him what he could and couldn't do anymore. "_They can forget about it!"_ Taking in a deep breath, he fixed his lilac gaze with dark chocolate, letting out the one reason why he couldn't stop seeing him, "I love you! I love you so much it hurts! I love you Kaname."

Kaname visibly flinched with shock and surprise, his mouth open and his eyes widening. He couldn't make any thoughts come together, let alone words, so the effect was that he made half-words for a good ten seconds, trying to gather his wits again.

"You…" he finally said, fisting his hand in Zero's shirt. "_Oh, God, Zero…"_ "You love me?" He was almost certain that he had heard him wrong and h kind of felt like an idiot for repeating those words. But there couldn't possibly be a way that he meant it.

"I love you terribly," Zero sighed, pressing ever closer.

Late at night, when he couldn't sleep and felt Zero's heartbeat against him, he'd imagine that he had said it, that his feelings were reciprocated the way he wanted them to be. Then his mind would wander too far, fantasizing impossible things. To keep his heart intact, he kept his feelings to himself so that he could continue with his impossible dreams for as long as he had Zero. But now, Zero had confessed his love blindly, not fearing his rejection if he said it but fearing his rejection if he didn't say it. But damn, Kaname had to admit…

"I love you too," he admitted, his voice harsh and grating. But all the same, Zero gave him a watery smile, setting his forehead against Kaname's as they both shut their eyes. "_Kaname…I knew he did. I could see it. Whenever he looks at me, it's always there, always reflecting in his eyes. We'll think of something, Kana. I promise you that." _

Zero actually hadn't thought of what they would have to do after he graduated. His mind was still young and thought in more short-term ways. Next May seemed incredibly far away, even though he had already sent in six college applications and looked at several hunter schools on a special website. It was in his mind now and he planned to ponder it until a solution came.

"_But…I'll wait until another day to worry about it." _

Flexing his left thigh muscle, he lifted that limb, letting it slide along the underside of the blanket as he draped it over Kaname's right hip.

"What are you…" he began, his stomach muscles automatically convulsing. Zero brought his face close, hovering his lips over the mouth that he wanted to kiss until he died.

"Make love to me," he firmly whispered, feeling Kaname try to pull away.

"But you didn't want me to," he said, thinking of the fright that had been in his voice last night.

"That was then, but this is _now_," he achingly said. Only holding him closer, Zero crushed his chest against his, molding his pelvis as close to him as he could. "I want you laying over me, inside me, Kaname." His eyes fluttered shut, and he pulled on Kaname with his leg, inviting him to roll onto him. Kaname resisted, even though Zero could most certainly feel his member rapidly increasing in size. "Please…please make love to me."

"Zero," he gruffly warned, sounding close to a growl.

In the fog that he had just created, he realized that he was still clothed, and slid his other arm underneath Kaname's head to wrap around him as he tugged his own pajama bottoms off with his left hand. Kaname could tell what he was doing beneath the quilt, and tried to think of what he should do now. "_I thought he wanted me to tell him that we shouldn't. I thought that's what he wanted after being scared of me last night."_

"Take your clothes off, Kaname," he whispered to him, kicking his legs beneath the blanket to get his underwear and pajama bottoms off of his ankles.

"Didn't you want me to say that we didn't have to make love?" he asked, not yet convinced but sorely tempted to rub the erection now trying to escape from his boxers.

"I _was_ scared," he admitted, breathing shallowly as he fisted his hand in the cloth of Kaname's boxers and jerked them downward. "But I want you to make love to me now, before I change my mind." Kaname inhaled sharply, feeling his phallus jump free of his boxers as they were shoved down to his knees. It prodded against Zero's bare belly, and he couldn't help but groan.

"Your first time will hurt…you know that, right?" he said, feeling himself capitulate. Zero softly moaned, half from relief that Kaname was finally going to take his virginity and half from the excited expectation of having him deep within his body.

"Of course." he breathlessly whispered, pressing a quick, soft kiss to his parted lips. The bed jostled a bit as Kaname kicked his boxers off, which landed in a soft heap on the floor next to the bed. "I just want you inside m—" he was cut off as Kaname pressed a lustful kiss to his lips, stifling anything else he might have said. Though, Zero was a little intimidated by the insistent prodding of the male organ beneath the quilt, he was mostly aroused by its presence. It felt right, but so very sinful.

Feeling Kaname's hand on his bare bottom, Zero's heart skipped a beat, and he moaned into his warm, wet mouth as Kaname pulled him against his pelvis. Zero wanted to touch the same place on his body as well, but could only bring himself to grasp his upward-facing hip. He could feel the protrusion of Kaname's hipbone beneath a generous layer of muscle, but it was his skin that suddenly fascinated him. Once Zero's fingers touched the taut, supple surface, he only wanted to find more, so he rubbed his hand up and down Kaname's side, venturing underneath his shirt and halfway down his thigh.

Abruptly pushing Zero onto his back, which earned a soft gasp from his lips, Kaname stole another quick, wet kiss before sitting back onto his knees and ankles. His arousal lied over his lower abdomen, begging for his attention, but Zero merely sat up to pull Kaname's shirt over his head, letting it fall onto the bed beside them. Kaname slid his hands to the bends in Zero's knees, pulling them up until the younger's feet were flat on the mattress. Then both leaning forward, their lips met again, a bit more lewdly than before. The pureblood sensuously slid his tongue between Zero's lips, slowly drawing it out as he sucked his bottom lip and then plunging in again. He felt Zero's hands on his chest and neck, and heard small noises emanating from the back of his throat. Rubbing gently along the insides of his thighs, he would have smiled at the way those muscles convulsed underneath his fingers, but the boy's mouth kept him pleasurable preoccupied.

When a painful twinge of sexual need jabbed his loins, Kaname broke off their kiss, leaning back a little as he caught his breath. Zero licked his own lower lip, finding that it was somewhat swollen, and looked down between them. Kaname, distracted as he leaned far to his left, didn't notice his divergence of attention. Kaname yanked open the drawer of the nightstand, searching for the lube he had purchased yesterday. Once his fingers found it, he brought it back over, and Zero blushed shyly as he watched him flick open the little cap. This was the first time Zero was actually happy to be a vampire because vampires didn't get STD'S, meaning, no need for condoms.

When Zero's warm hand wrapped around his swollen member, Kaname's fingers faltered in purring out some of the lube into his hand, and the air rushed out of his lungs. Zero pulled on him gently, feeling him swell even larger in his grasp as Kaname simply sat there with his eyes shut and a _very _small tint on his cheekbones.

"I hope it's not too big for me," Zero breathlessly wondered aloud as he watched his size increase. Kaname's hand fisted around the small bottle in his palm, and he reached down between them to firmly grasp Zero's member in his palm. Kaname bit down on his lower lip and stifling a long groan, he could feel that Zero was already leaking and damp, though he knew he could make him even harder then he already was. Pulling up gently, he listened with cotton-stuffed ears as Zero softly sighed, tightening his grip around him. Kaname forced his eyes open, looking down at his tightly clenched eyes and his parted lips. Licking his own lips, he leaned down to brush his cheek against his, bringing his mouth close to Zero's ear. It was difficult to speak without sounding like he had bronchitis.

"Do you want to come before I go in? I doubt you'll be able to after…" he implied, moving his thumb in circles over the pearly head of Zero's sex. Zero pressed his cheek against him, rubbing the tip of Kaname's engorged limb with the pad of his thumb.

"Put it in…please," he whispered, wishing that he had more eloquent words coming to mind. He felt him shudder all the same, though.

"Lie back," he said. His voice was breathless and deep. Zero released him from his fingers, letting his head hit the pillow, and watched as Kaname hurriedly purred the lubrication from its bottle into his awaiting hand. Feeling his face heat up, Zero hid his embarrassed smile behind the back of his hand. He loved how his heart pounded, and loved that his handsome partner was flushed with his own excitement as well. Staring as he rubbed the lubrication down his hard length, Zero felt his heart immediately start thumping with the anticipation of his first time.

Kaname was finding it difficult to keep his hands from shaking. He wanted to tease him first, but found himself extremely close to orgasm already. Looking down at him, he saw him push his shirt up to his collarbone, and inspected his young but defined chest for a few seconds. Finding a good opportunity to calm himself down, he immediately went for the pliant nubs of flesh, drawing the right peak into his mouth a little feverishly and heavily rubbing the other with the pad of his thumb.

"_Mmmph…_" Zero half gasped half moaned and let his eyes close, hearing nothing but the soft patter of rain and the liquid smack of his mouth over his nipples. A shiver ran from his right nipple to his belly, sizzling along his nerves and making his gasp. He felt him shift his weight onto his left elbow as he bestowed his attention on his left nipple and fondled the other with his right hand. The same hot shivers streaked through his torso, and he was somewhat embarrassed by the noises he began making every time one hit him.

"You're so beautiful," he gruffly said into his chest, suckling the peaks and turning them rosy. The compliment made his heart turn over, and though he wasn't aware of it, his slightly aroused fangs were starting to leave red marks on his skin. All he cared about, though, was that he continued with whatever was making his skin tingle the way it was.

Panting as if he had just ran to the end of the world and back, Kaname turned his attention to tasting the skin on his soon-to-be lover's elegant neck, all the while realizing that he wasn't calming down in the slightest. Zero craned his head back, offering him more room. Holding his weight on his right elbow now, he reached down between them and took hold of his arousal, rubbing the tip of it over the puckered entrance below Zero's testis's that he was so tempted to plunge into. He smiled against his neck when Zero gasped, arching into him. He was trying to prepare him for when he entered his body, getting him used to the idea of having him there. His heart was in his throat, though, because he was extremely impatient to simply bury himself between those silky legs and ram his way to orgasm.

Though, the room had felt cold before, he now was of the opinion that it was stifling inside, even though the quilt now only covered his calves. Zero was of a similar opinion, and wondered why he was breathing so hard when he hadn't moved more than a foot in the past ten hours. When he began to rub his phallus against the sensitive area on his body, it only made the room hotter and only made him shorter of breath. Zero didn't know what to say…there weren't many words he could use in his current situation, and he was too embarrassed to say any of them. He did know that his heart couldn't take much more, and struggled for words to form in his mind.

"_Uhhn_…Kaname," he began, gasping when he found his right nipple again and stimulated it, as well as the tiny pucker between his thighs. "Now, please…_please_," he sighed out of breath, biting his lower lip when a throb of pleasure fanned out from his lower abdomen where Kaname grazed his member with his hand and the insisting probing of the purebloods throbbing sex. He could hear a small noise from his lower hand, the sound of thick liquid suctioned between two surfaces.

"I can tell…you're close," he paused, gasping for air as he fought to keep some of his control. "I want you to climax now, since it's your first time. Come on, Zero…" he whispered, bringing his flushed face above his. Zero's eyes were shut, eyebrows knitted and his mouth was open slightly as he pulled in air. He felt Zero's right arm wrap around his torso, and watched as he licked his dry lips. "Come for me," he urged, rubbing himself against him in circles.

"_Kana…_" Zero felt the outside world shrink. He could no longer hear the rain, nor the liquid sound from below. All that existed was the wonderful rubbing, his heartbeats and fast breaths, and the sound of his voice, sexily bringing him to orgasm.

"Come for me, Zero," he gritted out, fighting his own climax. "_I have to be inside you… This time, I'll be inside of you."_ Kaname could feel him bucking his hips very slightly, but not quite enough to be profound. "_That's it…"_

"Mmmph!" He heavily pressed his nails into his side, clenching his jaw and moaning behind his closed lips. He was desperately trying to reach what he had obtained with him those few times before, wishing he could buck his hips a little harder, a little higher, without dislodging the stimulus that was doing a wonderful job of driving his crazy. The situation was exciting him enough to bring him extremely close, but the last mile was always the hardest.

"Right there…almost there," Kaname whispered, watching his face tense up as Zero raised his hips a little higher. Kaname rubbed faster, _needing_ him to finish, wanting it with his whole body that Zero found pleasure that morning.

"Yes," she gritted out in a high voice, fisting his hand in the bed covers next to his right hip. "_Almost…oh, God, almost…"_ "Kana…_unnh_…mmph!" he didn't know that his cheeks were red, that his body was creating a film of semen, and that his muscles were all tense—all he could feel was his body pressed against his, and the exquisite friction. He couldn't smell the scent of sex in the room, or the wet smell of rain outside—all he could smell was the heady scent that distinguished his one and only pureblood lover. He couldn't hear the muted squeaks of the bed, or the patter of rain—all he could hear was _Kaname's _voice, _his_ ragged breathing, and his own.

Feeling tears of strain and emotion gathering behind his eyelids, Zero forced his eyes open, looking into the cloudy gaze of his lover. From where he lay, he could see the faint light of day casting a gray sheen to his skin, but it couldn't erase the blush from his cheeks. Gasping in air, he felt his nails dig further into his skin, and the rush of blood and sensation as it slowly but firmly pushed its way down his body, like a pair of oiled hands that moved down his torso, making a sure path to the point of pressure between his thighs. A small, high noise choked his throat, but he held his gaze, watching Kaname watching him as pleasure raked through his body uncontrollable.

"God, Zero…" he uttered gutturally. _"So __beautiful…"_ He couldn't remember even fantasizing something this erotic. Watching Zero was humbling. But more than that, it was stimulating, and as Zero lowered his hips to the bed, Kaname unrelentingly followed him, rubbing the head of his erection against Zero's own leaking member. Zero finally let his eyes close, trying to catch his breath, but realizing exactly what was about to happen. Kaname didn't dare ask him if he was sure…because if he said 'no' to him, he felt like he might have a heart attack, or an aneurysm, or both. But still, either way, he would stop if Zero didn't want to anymore. He dropped his gaze to his chest again, surprised to find that they were spotted with angry red lines where his teeth dragged and the hot red blotches were he sucked too hard. He internally grimaced, but promised himself that he'd be more careful next time.

"_I can't wait any longer…" _

"_Not even for a second."_

Lowering himself further down and spreading Zero's legs wider apart, he pushed forward, watching his face for any signs of discomfort, pinching his lower lip between his teeth as the head of his phallus cleared the first ring of tight muscles inside his body. "_I can't breathe…"_

"Kaname…mmm…" Zero sighed, still enjoying himself, though it wouldn't be for much longer. "Deeper…you can go deeper…"

He set his left elbow on the bed again, lying fully over him. Zero's other arm came around his shoulders, and his feet must have left the mattress as he brought his knees a bit closer to his stomach, because he suddenly had more room to spread the stance of his knees for support. Having adjusted, he pushed a little deeper, reveling in the tight, slick grip of the body beneath him.

"Like that?" he whispered, inwardly wincing when it sounded a little high and breathless. He watched Zero move his head to the right a little, softly moaning.

"Yeah," he replied in just as soft a tone, though a little shakier than normal.

Once he reached half mast that technically protected his virginity, Kaname felt his heart climb up into his throat. Zero knew it was time, too, and Kaname felt him tensing in anxiety and preparation. Without saying anything, since nothing seemed appropriate enough in his mind, Kaname firmly and quickly bucked into him, making a noise similar to a demon growl or a howl, which startled even him. His ears did pick up Zero's startled gasp, and he certainly felt the younger's hands clutching his shoulder blades. Feeling the base of his own arousal butt against Zero's body, he brokenly groaned, lowering his head to his shoulder and hiding his face in the crook of Zero's neck.

It hurt…Zero knew it would hurt, but…not the way in which it would. It wasn't like cutting your finger or getting kicked in the shin. It was an intense pressure, a hard pinch that ended with a rip. It wasn't the worst pain in the world, not by far, but it certainly wasn't ignorable. Hearing the cry that Kaname couldn't contain and then his satisfied groan as he completely sheathed himself inside his body, Zero felt so happy despite his discomfort that he smiled, a real charming smile. "_I can live with this for another few minutes…"_ It was a one-time pain, a sacrifice that was one of the few gifts an uke or a woman could truly give to someone else. Thinking this, he crossed his ankles behind Kaname, forcing himself to rock slightly. He felt Kaname stiffen a little, and he quickly took over, gently moving over him.

"Zero," he sighed, gripping the comforter as if he wanted to tear it into shreds. He was finally inside him, making love to him, and his heart could barely take it. For about a minute, he simply rocked over him, hoping that he wasn't creating much pain. His knuckles were white from the effort, though.

"You…you can go faster, Kana," he whispered in his ear, half from the fact that he didn't want him to drag it out since it hurt, and half from guessing that he was probably dying to go more quickly.

"Oh, God…" he grunted, pulling out about halfway and pressing back in as fast as he dared. Hearing a thump, he realized that he had bumped Zero's head against the headboard. Zero half-laughed, finding it funny. Kaname frowned, feeling a bit stupid, and tugged him a few inches down the mattress, away from the headboard. Raising his head, he looked down into Zero's half-lidded eyes, which had a bit of a smile left in them. Holding that eye contact, he began again, pulling back completely and sinking in again. He watched the smile fade from his face, but his body only encouraged him, bringing him back with his legs whenever he pulled out.

The feeling was surreal and yet as real as it could get. Having come down from the high where he had brought him, Zero could feel every chafing movement he made, and hear the sound of it as well, but knowing that he was making love for the first time, that Kaname was his first, and hopefully his only…it seemed like a dream, and it only made him want to hold the pureblood tighter. "_It's not a dream!"_

He knew it was only a few seconds away, and he somehow wanted to prolong the rise to climax a little longer, even though his body screamed for it. He realized, though, that his young lover was only waiting for him to finish, so he sped up, hitting his pelvis hard against his. He saw Zero's jaw clench, but it didn't really register with him. His gaze was hazing over with red, and the room was incredibly hot. "_Faster…"_

"Zero…" he groaned out, feeling the friction finally sparking into a fire. "_Faster…"_ Zero's arms tightened around him, and his legs bumped against his backside, hanging in the air as Kaname pumped himself into him relentlessly. All the blood in his body was in frenzy, making him feel like he was on a roller-coaster. Sweat was rolling down his neck and back. He let out an agonized groan, feeling his head droop down. "_Harder…"_

Zero watched him in fascination, wondering if he'd feel just as disconnected as Kaname looked to be once they made love again. All Kaname centered on was Zero and the scalding resistance their union created. Zero's lower back was starting to protest a bit, and his rum was mildly burning with pain and friction, but he didn't dare stop him—he wanted to watch him, to see the expression that his face would make. He hadn't realized it before, but he had never seen it. Kaname's breathing was so ragged, and watching him moving above him, rocking him back with him. He couldn't say anything, nope, not a single encouraging word came to mind. He only waited for Kaname to cry out, to freeze above him and let the passion pass over him.

"_There it is…oohh…so close."_ Kaname clenched his teeth, fisted his hands, and pounded against Zero, feeling a long harsh cry crescendo from inside his own throat and hiss past his teeth. Never in his life had he ever felt so good like he was now. An actual growl came out, and he unconsciously whipped his head up, giving one last shove into the tight body beneath him. His heart clenched, and his legs straightened.

"_Uhn Zerrro!_" he gasped out, a rough and deep utterance of his name. Zero's mouth fell slightly open, seeing the ecstasy crossing his face. He looked to be temporarily somewhere else, and he couldn't wait until he could go there with him someday soon. He gasped in air, having been holding it for about three seconds, and groaned again, even louder this time. He felt Kaname relax slightly, but his hips almost involuntarily bucked into him again, and he moaned again for the third time. Watching him…was humbling. "_I love him so much."_

Kaname wondered if he was going to black out for a second or two. He was absolutely certain that this was the best sex of his life. Moreover, it was Zero's first time, meaning it could only get better. He felt his thighs and biceps shaking, having a hard time holding himself up as his orgasm cursed through him in rapid tides. His heartbeat was in his ears, and the air was frozen in his lungs despite the incredible temperature of his body. He was almost hoping that he stopped climaxing soon because he was in danger of simply dropping onto him in exhaustion, which wasn't exactly a nice thing to do. However, the sensations eventually started dying away, and his breathing was slowing down.

When he finally relaxed over him gently settling his weight on him, Zero felt him tremble as he laid his head on his shoulder. He huffed against the younger's neck, trying to catch his breath. Zero stared at the ceiling and placed his feet back on the mattress, squeezing his thighs against his hips. An odd smirk curved his lips, showing a few teeth. He tried to suppress it, thinking that it might look odd to whatever ghosts were in the room, but only got his lips closed as he soothingly rubbed his lover's back.

"Wow," Kaname breathlessly whispered, bringing the grin right back to Zero's face. He silently agreed with him, pressing his cheek to his forehead.

That was all that was said for a solid five minutes. Both lovers mindlessly basked in the muted light of an overcast day, thinking of neither the future nor the past. Though Kaname did remove himself from Zero's body right after his short, but succinct comment, they didn't move either.

It was when Zero's stomach rumbled that Kaname chuckled softly and made to get up.

"I suppose we should clean up," he said, lifting his head. Zero smiled at him, looking at his face. He suddenly looked younger, more boyish and vulnerable. Perhaps it was just his imagination, but he looked like he had just regained several years of his life back.

"I'll even make you some pancakes," he continued, gingerly sitting back. Zero winced as he moved, taking it a little slowly since it seemed that walking might be a chore for the next couple of hours and the fact the Kaname's cum had burned like hell when he climaxed wasn't helping the situation either.

"Sounds perfect to me," he agreed, sitting up. "_Sex then pancakes…"_ Laughing to himself, Zero felt his heart flutter inside his chest. "_I hope it's always like this." _

**THE END!! **

**No I'm totally joking XD there is still plenty more to go. So anyways what do you guys think? **

**Oh and before I forget, I want this story to seem as real as possible, you know? I want it to seem like it can most definitely happen in real life (well besides the whole vampire part). And yes, sometimes boys also have a hard time during their first just like women. They sometimes don't orgasm at all and find the whole experience painful like some women do as well. It's not because the dominate partner is doing anything wrong but because of how the body reacts to something new and foreign to it. And what do we do when we are exposed to something foreign??? We learn to adapt to it ^^ so Zero will most definitely get used to it so don't worry!! **

**Until next time everyone (which will ****NOT ****be a long time from know!)**

**HeHe I can practically feel everyone rolling their eyes saying, "Yeah right stallion!! You're going to take sooo long to update just like last time so shut up with your broken promises!! **

**Ahh XD *goes to my corner and try to find my happy place* FOREGIVE MEEEE! **

**P.S I totally didn't read over this at all so sorry for any mistakes. Yeah, I was lazy but at least I got the chapter up ne? NE??? Oh, and a lot of people have been asking me why I keep writing **_**she**_** at Zero's parts. It's because this story is very old and it's a story that I typed up when I was like in 7****th**** grade for a project of mine. I just changed the characters and added more detail…and sex….so yea. Zero's character was originally a girl. Happy? Satisfied??? **

**^stallion14^**


	10. Zero says it's important to show support

**A/N: Hello again everyone ^^ I won't chat too long this time since I think I explained everything last chapter so on to the shout outs ne? **

**Shout outs/appreciations: Drum roll please…(1)** **Benny-sama**! Thank you thank you!...(2) **mamita** how sweet!...(3) **Sasu-Sama' Sarukiji-Sempai** hehe well thanks :D….(4) **Kitsune Demon Girl** love the name by the way and thanks so much for your review!...(5) **666blackcat666** well you got more XD…(6) **Vampire Hedgehogs** very helpful!...(7) **kuzon234ray** oh me tooooo!...(8) **love332** he is cut when he's like that isn't he? :D….(9) **NegatiiveeFTS** yes well now you know XD…..(10) **Dark3n3d** yeah sorry about that =P. **THANK YOU EVERYONE! **

**SUMMARY: "****It seems that they've finally surpassed the mountain that is your father's illness. As strange as it sounds, the therapist believes that he has post-traumatic stress disorder. He was the one who found your mother, right?" she asked, her voice more serious. Kaname unconsciously placed his hand on Zero's shoulder.**

**Chapter: Zero says it's important to show support **

_-10:40am, Sunday-_

Kaname took a few minutes to clean himself up in the bathroom and then let Zero take as much time as he needed. After dressing himself and hearing the shower turn on, he glanced toward the bed and grimaced at the streaks of blood on the bedspread. "_Guess I kind of forgot about that part." _

He felt humbled, seeing Zero's blood there on the blanket. His previous girlfriends who had actually gone that far with him had been virgins. Kaname was nervous to tell Zero about his past, about the things he had to do...

It felt like Zero had given him an enormous gift, and he wasn't quite sure how to repay it. Hauling off all of the bed's linens, he made his way downstairs to the laundry room and made sure to wash the bedspread first. Then walking to the kitchen, he started the pancakes that he had promised, first turning on the television pinned to the wall.

"_...and are you tired of that same old mop that leaves the same old dir…! ... feel like other car insurance companies are taking advantage of you? Do you..._" Commercials were on, and he flipped to CNN, not really paying attention to what the anchors were saying. Since the TV had previously been on the cartoon channels he had already guessed that Aidou and Shiki had to have been watching it sometime last night.

Though it was closer to lunchtime by the time he got around to making pancakes, the batter was ready by eleven. He checked the frying pan to see how hot it was, and heard the shower turn off upstairs. In truth, he didn't watch CNN nearly as much as he used to, and when he did, it was only because it reminded him of the time when Zero had given him a break from grading homework and brought him to a scalding climax. The memory still made his blood boil.

Flicking a little bit of water onto the frying pan, he was glad to hear it sizzle and stirred up the pancake mixture a bit more. Pouring the first pancake onto the pan, he set the pitcher to the side and watched the circle of batter, not really seeing it. His mind kept wandering back upstairs to the bedroom where he had deflowered the young man he loved so much and he felt the same telltale heat seeping into his groin. He only wondered how long he would have to wait until he could thrust himself between those silky thighs again. _"God I sound like some creepy pervert." _

Clearing his throat and shifting his weight to his other foot, he flipped the pancake over, absent-mindedly poking at it. Realizing that he needed a plate to put it on, he went searching for a clean one since they hadn't washed dishes yet that weekend. "No_ one did…not Aidou, Ruka, Rima, Kain, Shiki, or even Ichijou, nope, no one…" _Of course, he didn't want Zero doing any house work at all. It was _his _job to take care of his lover and make sure he was comfortable and had everything he needed. Kaname would make sure of that.

Upstairs, Zero wondered if he would need to drink blood to heal faster because he was still bleeding just a little. Remembering that he was due for another season with Kaname seeing as it was the beginning of the month he decided to just wait.

Stepping into a pair of dark, slightly baggy gray sweatpants that hugged his ankles and a plain white t-shirt that he had long ago stolen from Kaname, he ran a hand threw his unkempt hair as he walked out the door with a little more difficult, but he managed it. "_God, does it always feel this bad after sex?" _

He took it easy going down the stairs and followed his nose to the kitchen. Making his way around the breakfast island, he heard Kaname flip a pancake, and he turned towards him, giving him one of his cocky smirks. Kaname had put on a dark green t-shirt and a gray hooded sweatshirt, settling for jeans to cover the rest of him, coming towards Zero with his arms out, ready for a hug.

"Good morning." Zero smiled, letting Kaname pull him into his arms. Zero set his head against the purebloods chest, wrapping his arms around his waist and pulling himself closer. They held each other for a while, still getting used to this new level of trust. The cloth of Kaname's t-shirt was warm and soft, and his chest was firm underneath Zero's cheek. His chin lightly rested on the crown of the younger's head, and his body gave off heat that kept them warm. Zero felt like he was going to melt right then.

"Shouldn't you be watching the pancakes?" Zero eventually asked, somewhat reluctantly, taking a deep breath of his masculine scent. Kaname suddenly let go of the younger, whipping around to take the pancake off of the stove.

"Forgot." he exclaimed, seeing that the bottom was much browner then he had been aiming for. Zero chuckled behind him, walking up to survey the damage.

"Aw, it's not that bad. Here, I'll eat that one," he said, pointing at a plate. Kaname plopped it on top of a short stack of pancakes, sighing in resignation.

"I always burn one of them," he lamented, picking up his own plate and turning off the stove. He tossed a pat of butter onto the top and poured on some syrup before grabbing a fork. Turning to the breakfast table, he saw Zero set down his plate and pause as a shiver tickled its way up his spine.

"Are you cold?" Kaname asked, walking to his seat and setting down his own plate.

"Not really...must be a draft?" he suggested, looking up at the ceiling as if that held the source. Kaname unzipped his sweatshirt and pulled it off, handing it to his love.

"Here, wear this, can't have you catching a cold before the last meet of the semester." Zero shyly smiled, taking the offered sweater. As he shrugged into it, his nose immediately noticed that his lovers scent clung to the garment, and inwardly sighed to himself. "It seems that half of my clothes will soon belong to you, anyway," Kaname joked, gesturing towards the shirt Zero was wearing. Zero gingerly sat down, and Kaname sat adjacent to him, digging into his food.

"You can still wear these, you know. Then I could always guarantee that whenever _I_ wore them, they'd still smell like you." Zero admitted, cutting out a wedge of pancakes with his fork.

"Ah, so _there's_ the culprit. I could just send a spray of that cologne your way in the morning, you know."

"Where would be the fun in that?" Zero said down to his plate, not meeting the purebloods eyes. Though Zero didn't see it, Kaname smiled, looking at the graceful line of the younger's neck as he chewed. They then fell silent for a few seconds, enjoying the food and each other's company, both thinking of the same thing.

"...How...uh…are you… sore?" Kaname hesitantly asked, avoiding his gaze when he looked up at him. Zero could see the slight redness on Kaname cheekbones, and felt his own face warm up.

"Yeah, but...it was worth it," he quietly said, setting down his fork. He couldn't keep the smile from forming on his face. It could have been from amusement or happiness, but either way, he was grinning. Kaname cleared his throat, flashing his eyes over to his for a split second.

"Sorry...guess I was, uhm...overzealous near the end," he finished, shoveling another mouthful of pancakes up to his face. "_What am I so nervous about?"_ Zero thought it was funny that he was shy to talk about his "zealous" behavior with him, especially since he was the one who usually started everything.

"Yeah, you were crying out like a girl," Zero joked, waiting for his reaction.

"I was not. I didn't sound at all girly," he insisted, looking at his love again as he swallowed. He saw the joking gleam in his eyes and immediately calmed down, though, having somewhat salvaged his masculinity. Smiling in jest, he tweaked Zero's nose with his thumb. "I certainly didn't feel feminine when I was inside you." It was Zero's turn to blush, and he looked down at his plate, eyes widened.

"Kana..." he admonished, holding one hand to his enflamed cheek. Kaname laughed lightly, leaning closer to him.

"Now, my only question is..." he began, waiting for him to look up at him. When he did, Zero saw that his eyes were fairly smoldering. "When can I be inside you again?" Kaname watched as Zero's cheeks turn fire engine red. He opened his mouth to say something, but the doorbell rang, startling both of them. His fork fell from his hand to land noisily on the table, and he jerked hard enough to bang his elbow against the chair.

"Heh...saved by the bell," he commented as he stood up. Patting Zero's shoulder as he exited, to see who was at the door. It was starting to get cold outside, so he kept all of the curtains closed to keep in the heat, and had to peek through the front window to see who was at the door. Seeing the social worker there for her random weekly visit, he calmly walked over to the door.

"Good morning, Kon chan. Come in...it's cold outside this morning," he observed, ushering the woman into his house. She came in gratefully, rubbing her hands together. Hearing the woman's name, Zero came to the front of the house.

"Oh, thank you, Kuran san. This morning's weather report certainly wasn't good. Temperatures are already starting to plummet, and it's not even December yet! But at least there's no snow in the forecast," she pointed out as she removed her coat, eyes roaming around Kaname's penthouse. Kaname took it from her and hung it on the coat rack behind him. Kon chan was a petite, kind-looking woman that was starting to get into her thirties, but she already had the tone mothers used with their kids, thanks to her profession, and it made her sound like she was pushing fifty.

"Good morning, Kiryu san," She said, stepped over to him, taking his hands in a motherly way and inspecting them as if looking for dirt under his fingernails.

"How's it been here since I came last Tuesday? Everything still running like clockwork?" she asked, patting Zero's arm. Zero nodded in response, looking to Kaname for backup.

"It became apparent to me last week that having a star student visit your home for a few weeks is an idea that should be done more often. She informed me that a practice AP exam for Calculus was coming up in early December right before break, so I changed the date of the last exam of the semester, and the number of students in my classes who sighed in relief was enough to create a breeze. Seems that I relieved a little bit of unnecessary pressure," he reported, glancing over at Zero. Playing the jovial 'I'm-only-a-friendly-teacher' role put a restraint on him that he didn't like, but if it meant that he got to spend more time with Zero, then he was willing to play that role.

"Ah, that reminds me," Mrs. Kon said, casually walking around the sitting area in front of the house. "Does anyone else at the school know that he is staying here?" She raised a sculpted eyebrow.

"Except for a friend of mine, no, I was too embarrassed to explain why I was temporarily living with a teacher, and I know that I'd only get a few nasty jokes for my trouble," Zero explained, playing the _I'm so innocent and shy _role. Mrs. Kon sagely nodded, looking at the cleanliness of the room around her. Zero recalled the conversation he had held with Ichiru in which he confessed of his father's abusive tendencies. Ichiru was mostly shocked, and for once he didn't say more than a simple "I'm sorry" once Zero had finished his story. Ever loquacious, Ichiru had actually been stunned speechless. Zero had come to value his friendship in the past weeks. They actually got along very well, and had a lot of things in common (well, they were twin brother). It always seemed, though, as if Ichiru wanted to tell him something. Either way, he reminded him of what it was like when he and Ichiru had been best of friends back then before everything changed...

"Oh, is this the clay sculpture they always make you do in art class?" Mrs. Kon chuckled out, seeing Zero's "masterpiece" on the desk next to his closed laptop. Zero slowly walked over to it, try to minimize any awkward movements.

"Well, it was supposed to be an angle, but her...uhm...boobs got to be too big, and I couldn't quite figure out how to make feathers in clay, so that's why it looks like she's got fish scales and a shovel for a wing." Mrs. Kon was red in the face when she put the sculpture down, shaking with laughter. Zero turned to chance a glance at Kaname, and he was smiling, too.

"Well, I think it's worthy of the Chicago Art Museum, myself. Here we have the latest modern artist, Kiyru Zero, with his newest creation, _Imperfect creature of the sky_.'" That got Mrs. Kon laughing even harder, and a few tears managed to squeeze themselves out. Zero pretended that he had taken offense, and pressed his arms to his chest.

"I do not appreciate your sarcasm, Kuran sensei." Zero walked over to him, ready to give him a playful punch on the arm, and hobbled a bit in the process.

"Zero san, are you sore from track practice? You seem to be limping or something," Mrs. Kon observed, holding a kerchief to her cheeks. Zero, having punched Kaname harder than he had intended when he remembered just how he got to be so sore, turned to nod at the social worker.

"But of course...couch runs us 'til we're ready to hurl. We get one in every three days to rest, but other than that, we run and run and run," he lamented, getting the social worker nodding in sympathy.

"Well, before I head off, I wanted to let you know that the therapist had good news when I called her on Friday. It seems that they've finally surpassed the mountain that is your father's illness. As strange as it sounds, the therapist believes that he has post-traumatic stress disorder. He was the one who found your mother, right?" she asked, her voice more serious. Kaname unconsciously placed his hand on Zero's shoulder.

"Yes...the hospital said that mother was well enough to come home for Fourth of July weekend, and we had her seated in the back yard while I cooked inside. Father came in to get the...the table cloth, and we took a couple of minutes to talk about how well she looked," he explained, looking at both Mrs. kon and Kaname. He knew Kaname had wanted to hear about his mother for a while now."We think that she got up to go take a closer look at the roses, but...well, all I know is that father went back outside, and then I heard yelling, then I came out to find her collapsed down by the rosebushes...she died at the hospital two days later." Zero stopped then, and an awkward silence settled over the room. His eyes misted over, and he took a hard swallow. "I don't think I've ever seen any man cry that hard in my life." He felt a squeeze to his shoulder, and took a deep breath. Mrs. Kon had a sad expression on her face, but continued nonetheless.

"Dr. Tanaka believes that your father's short temper and violent behavior is from the post-traumatic stress disorder. With that and the problems he has been having at work with all his cases, your mother's death sort of pushed him over the edge. He has prescribed a medication, and we'll see if it helps. But this means that you might not be long from going back home, if it does help." Mrs. Kon explained, plastering a smile on her face. Zero more hesitantly returned the smile, feeling the lump in his throat growing in size. Seeing that it was about time for her to go, Mrs. Kon made a few closing remarks and then took her leave, walking briskly to her car. Once Kaname closed the door, he turned to find that Zero was quickly wiping a tear off of his cheek.

"Love, why are you crying? This is good news," he admonished, leaning down and chucking his chin. Only more tears seemed to follow, though. Zero sniffled a little but the tears didn't stop in the slightest. "Is it because of your mother?" he asked. It wasn't at all why he was crying, but he nodded in agreement, anyway. If things continued the way they were, he would be moving back in with his father, and he wouldn't see Kaname nearly as much. He felt like a horrible son, wishing for more time to spend with his older lover rather than wishing for his father's recovery, and that...was the reason why he cried. Kaname could no longer hold out from pulling him into his arms, and drew him to himself. Rubbing his hands against his back, he let him silently cry against his chest, and wondered how much longer this whole ordeal was going last.

"How can he love someone so much?" Zero asked aloud. "How did it turn into hate so easily?"

Kaname thought silently for a few seconds, trying to find the words that he needed to hear.

"Love and hate are the strongest emotions...but they're two sides of the same coin. If someone you love is taken away, you feel that the world has turned its back on you...so you turn your hate onto it-hate that is as strong as the love you lost." He felt Zero laugh into his chest, and he mumbled a reply,

"You're starting to sound poetic." Kaname smiled into his hair, pulling Zero closer. Then, taking a deep breath, he straight-armed away from him, leaning down until his eyes were only inches from his.

"What?" Zero asked, reaching up to wipe the last of his tears off of his reddened cheeks.

"Though your father is sick, I...admire the intensity of the love he holds for his wife. It's not common in humans these days. If something ever took _you_ away from me...I have no doubt that I'd rip the world apart until I had you back or died trying," he strongly uttered. Zero felt his mouth fall open, and was practically frozen for a few seconds, disbelieving his sentiment. _My God, Kaname...you just made my heart stop completely for a second."_ Letting out a nervous laugh, Zero backed up a step.

"I think we need to go finish our food." he turned away to walk back to the kitchen, but was immediately spun back around. He might have fallen down since he had been turned off-balance, but he found himself off the floor and pressed tightly against the older vampire's chest. Gasping in surprise, it wasn't too long after that his lips set themselves to ravaging Zero's own, pressing insistently until his jaw opened to allow him access. Zero shut his eyes, feeling his arms automatically wrap around his shoulders and his lips cling to Kaname's. The kiss wasn't forceful, but he felt a definite intensity behind it. Just loving his attention, Zero let him kiss him for as long as he wanted, which turned out to be awhile. Though Zero eventually made it back to his feet, he wasn't so sure if he could walk on them anymore. Zero felt so light-headed that he clung to Kaname for support all the way back to the kitchen. "_I think that's called 'being swept off your feet."_

_-6:30pm, Friday: Mock Track -_

Leaning against Ichiru, Zero pulled up on his right ankle to stretch his quad muscles, doing warm-up stretches before the first heat. This was the fall tournament, in which all the high schools in Tokyo who qualified competed in different classes. There was no trophy since it was an exhibition meet, the real one occurred in the spring. This fall meet was for coaches to find the weak points in their teams and improve them over the winter months.

"Oooh, I'm so nervous, Tenju High School is hard this year," Ichiru fretted. Zero smirked at him, changing legs. "But we've got you! I hope we place better this time. Last year we only got to eighteenth." Releasing Ichiru's shoulder, Zero sat down on the fake turf in their little section of the track area. His brother followed suit, plopping down and making a V of his legs. He and Zero stretched as they talked, watching their teammates, and the other teams as well.

Their team consisted of four seniors, two juniors, four sophomores, and three freshmen-a small team compared to a couple others. Tenju High had twenty-five members, so they were able to compete in more events. Cross's other two seniors were boys that competed in the sprints, while the two junior girls were going for the longer distance heats. The sophomores were going for the baton race, and the freshmen were competing at the junior varsity level in sprint running. It was barely enough people to cover the main events, but there were no shot-put members or long-jump members...their team was better suited to be called the cross-country team rather than the track team.

"Geez...that girl from Shoto High keeps looking over at me," Ichiru said, his nose wrinkling between his eyebrows.

"I think she's looking at Masaki behind you...probably thinks he's hot stuff or whatever," Zero explained, glancing at Masaki, who was blushing furiously down at his sneakers.

"Well, she better keep her eyes off of him," Yuki said, Masaki's girlfriend. She was up in the stands behind them, glaring at the runner from Shoto. Zero chuckled to himself, looking to Kaname who was a few rows behind Yuki whom gave him a wink.

Ichiru and Zero turned to each other, pressing the soles of their running shoes against the other's shoes. Zero reached for his brother's hands over their extended legs and pulled him forward, stretching the back of Ichiru's legs.

"Last year, someone on another team got me nervous right before we started. He was a junior from Tenju High and told me that I had 'a snowball's chance in hell of winning,'" Ichiru complained, his voice sounding a bit more strained since he was practically bent in half.

"Do you think he's here again?" Zero asked him, pulling a bit harder.

"Of course...he won the heat right after telling me that." Ichiru leaned up then, grabbing Zero's wrists and pulling him forward. Zero was glad that his inner plumbing was working again. After making love for the first time, it felt like someone had punched him internally until he bruised in several places, and it wasn't until Thursday morning that he felt better. "_Of course_, he thought, smirking to himself, _Kaname has been at me for another round ever since I said I was better."_

"What's he look like?" he asked, his nose almost to his knees.

"Hmm...well, I remember that he had long blonde hair and green eyes. An ugly chin and a bad hair-do," Ichiru recalled, his eyes looking up to the sky as if picturing the guy. Zero laughed down at his legs. Ichiru let go of his wrists then, and both got to their feet again just as the coach jogged up to them with his ever-present clipboard.

"Okay, here's the line-up for today. Ichiru, you've got the third 200-meter heat. That's against NejoAnerney, Yuin, Tenju, Panyong, and Mitsubishi. Zero, you've got the sixth 200-meter heat against another of Tobuko's, another of Yuin's, Shoto High, Shoto North, and Lenu. Kenyo, you've got the first 200-meter heat against..." Rokujo sensei went on, listing everyone's race. If anyone won their heat, they got to go on in the tournament, but usually only one person on the entire team ever won their individual race, and the baton team had never won. The junior varsity members were lucky to get third.

A male announcer called for the first heat participants to come to the starting line and for shot-put participants to meet at the shot-put circle in the center of the field. The crowd seemed to sit straighter in their seats, and several groups of parents called down encouragement to their kids. Zero watched Kenyo and Rokujo sensei walk off towards the starting line where other male runners were doing last-minute stretches or calming themselves down. Ichiru stood close next to Zero, and a few of the underclassmen were holding their stomachs as if sick from anxiety.

"You guys, calm the hell down," he called over to them. They looked at him half-hopeful and half scared, looking worried. "No one is going to come over and shoot you if you don't win." They took deep breaths and nodded, and Zero heard Ichiru whispers in his ear,

"Kaito is coming by tonight to take me to dinner. He's on Thanksgiving Break starting next Monday." Zero turned to Ichiru, smiling conspiratorially.

"He is, huh? Are you going to...you know? You said you were going to go all the way with him the next time he was in town."

"I don't know," he quietly whined, fretting his hands. "I'm afraid that it'll hurt really badly."

"Well, you're never going to get rid of your virginity in a painless way. And it doesn't hurt that bad. It's just...not comfortable."

"Zero! You-! You and-?" he asked, his eyes wide. Zero threw his hand over his mouth, unable to comprehend how stupid he had just been. "Ohhh, you naughty boy!" Ichiru laughed. Zero punched Ichiru's arm, using his facial expressions to hush Ichiru to a quieter tone.

"What was it like?" he whispered, gripping Zero's jersey in his hand. A gunshot went off, and both looked over to the line of boys now speeding around the track. They immediately forgot their conversation and began to shout Kenyo's name. He eventually pulled ahead to second, but the finish was coming up fast, and it was obvious that he was tiring. He fell to third before he got to the Rokujo sensei got to Kenyo first, and his chest was heaving with exertion. From where Zero stood, it was obvious that he was upset with himself. The coach seemed to say something to make him feel better, though, and patted his back as they returned to the team's area.

The announcer then called for the second heat participants, but no one from Cross was competing so people continued to stretch their legs and pace in nervousness. Ichiru, however, tenaciously continued their conversation.

"What was it like?" he repeated, earning two rolling eyes from his older brother. Ichiru pouted and tugged on his jersey, though, and Zero sighed in vexation.

"Fine, fine, I'll tell you...I...well," Zero began, not exactly sure how to start, "it was...well, he made sure that I...y'know...c-came first." Ichiru grinned, but didn't say anything. "And then he...Ichiru, this is embarrassing!" Zero complained. Though, Ichiru pressed him.

"I promise to tell you every nitty-gritty detail with Kaito when I see you on Monday. C'mon, Zero!" he begged.

"But I don't want to know 'every nitty-gritty detail!'"

"I'll buy you lunch next Sunday..."

"Deal."

"Hehe..."

"Okay...after he...you know, got it in, something, of course, ripped and stretched. I bled a bit and...I think the worst part was that it was way too big, and my muscles were already really strained."

"So I should be as relaxed as possible?"

"Yeah, that'd be good. And make sure that...that you're...uhm, lubricated," Zero said, biting on his lower lip. He looked over Ichiru's shoulder at Kaname again, but he seemed to be watching the second heat.

"Ichiru!" Rokujo sensei called from a few yards away. He was waving at him to follow, and Ichiru groaned in disappointment.

"You'll need to finish your story, you know!" he forewarned as he walked away. Zero called out some encouragement and heard the announcer call for the third heat participants. Turning back and looking at Kaname, he smiled at him again, mouthing 'good luck' to him. He nodded, turning to watch Ichiru brace his feet in the track stirrups. Since Ichiru was the team captain, everyone on the team was already shouting for him to win. Zero stood with the other two senior boys, ready to scream his lungs out once the gunshot went off. He couldn't hear it, but the line referee told the runners to get set, and all six stuck their hind ends in the air, some looking forward and some still looking down at their hands. The line referee raised the gun in his hand and fired it, sending all six high school runners ripping down the track.

The look on Ichiru's face was intense, and he immediately pulled out in front. However, the boy from Tenju was close on his heels and coming fast. Ichiru couldn't seem to pull out any more speed and began to lose his position. The group sprinted past their area on the track, and Zero screamed for Ichiru to push it. The finish line was approaching, and Ichiru seemed to be trying his hardest, but it wasn't hard enough, and he came in second, coming to a quick stop and bracing his hands on his knees. Rokujo sensei jogged over to him, smiling brightly. He jostled Ichiru with a big hug, patting him on the back and pointing at the clock times on the marquee behind him. Ichiru got a big smile on his face and hugged the coach back, both seemingly happy. Zero, confused, looked to the time, and saw that Ichiru had beat his personal best by half a second.

The fourth heat arrived, in which Cross wasn't participating. Zero hugged Ichiru once zhe got back, still breathing hard, but happy as ever.

"Did you see me? I got second place! Did you see?" Ichiru asked excitedly, hugging him back. Zero agreed with everything Ichiru said, patting his back. When they finally let go of each other, the fifth heat had just started, and Zero felt a few butterflies of nervousness flit into his stomach. Kenyo and Yuki both congratulated Ichiru, and he looked to Rokujo sensei whom was looking at him as well. He nodded and motioned for Zero to follow him. Jogging over to the coach, still in his warm-up suit, he followed the couch to the starting line, where two of the other runners were already psyching themselves out and doing last-minute stretches.

"Are your leg muscles feeling okay?" the coach asked, motioning for him to take off his warm-up suit. Zero did so, feeling a slight chill in the air. He stretched his calf muscles again while the coach talked, who encouraged him and gave him a pointer on how to block out the other runners. The butterflies in his stomach were flying about in a frenzy, but he simply looked over to the stands, finding Kaname's face in the crowd, and his internal bug-zapper took care of the little pests. Rokujo sensei, with Zero's warm-up suit in tow, gave him a pat on the arm and told him which lane he was taking, and then ran off to wait at the finish line. Looking to the five other runners, finally all assembled as the announcer called for the sixth heat, he found the Tenju High runner. Blonde, green eyes, ugly chin...and he still had a horrible hair-do.

"_Excellent."_

Standing in lane three, he took a deep breath, and the blonde runner in lane four looked at him, reading the school name on his jersey.

"Heh, Cross, right?" he asked him, getting his attention. "You don't have a snowball's chance in hell." Zero laughed inwardly, wondering if the Tenju High boy was already out of new material.

"But I'm on hell of a runner...didn't anyone tell you?" he rebutted, sitting down on his haunches and positioning his hands. The Tenju High runner said nothing and did the same, obviously quieted since the line referee was about to say 'ready.' Zero got his feet in place just as the line guard said 'set,' and lifted his rear into the air. Lifting his head to look at the finish, he pictured Kaname standing there, arms out, waiting for him. A gunshot rang out around the track, and he pushed forward with his strong leg. The track had excellent turf, making the grip on his shoes work perfectly, just like the track back at Cross. His legs began to burn mildly, and his lungs were already working hard. The crowd was cheering, but he couldn't hear them. His own breathing and the pounding of his shoes on the textured track filled his ears. The other runners were falling behind him, but he couldn't see the other lanes. All he saw and concentrated on was him. His arms seemed to reach for him, and the smile on his face was heavenly. However, the vision faded a bit, and he ran faster, hoping to grab him before he vanished.

Just as he was upon him, though, he completely disappeared, and he saw the curve of the track in front of him, having passed the finish line. He heard piercing screams from behind him, and looked to see his team about one hundred feet away going nuts. Rokujo sensei was suddenly in front of him, and Zero gripped his knees, pulling in air as fast as he could. He didn't get much of a chance to catch his breath, though, before the coach pulled him into a hug.

"You did it! You won! Fastest 200-meter time today! Oh, good job! Good job!" the coach praised, finally releasing him and handing him a towel. Zero looked to his time on the marquee, and his eyes bugged out. "_I should use Kaname as motivation more often." _He was so stunned that he had to be steered back to the team's area and placed onto a bench, where the entire team came over to congratulate him and give him a pat on the back. Yuki didn't stay long, though, and ran to the start line of the seventh heat.

"I knew it! I knew you'd win! Did you see the look on that ugly-chinned Tenju High boy?" Ichiru breathed out, handing Zero some water. Zero only took a few sips, knowing that too much would put cramps in his stomach. He shook his head, still disbelieving that he had won. With the other meets, he only sprinted occasionally and mostly participated in the long-distance heats. All of his sprints ended up with him being second place, but never first place or even third place. He won several long-distance heats, but this was the first sprint that he had ever won. That it was a statewide tournament and won by a landslide was enough to knock him off his rocker.

"I-I think Kuran sensei is trying to get your attention," Ichiru butted in, prodding Zero's side. Looking behind him, he looked up to Kaname, who clapped for him despite the fact that the seventh heat hadn't even started yet. He smiled, happy for the attention. Another gunshot went off, and six male runners were gunning it for the finish line. Misaki got off to an early lead, holding it and slowly pulling away from the other runners. It was time for the Cross team to scream for victory once again as he flew over the finish line, having beat the other runners by a full half second, but still almost a second slower than Zero's time. He could hear Yuki losing her voice behind him, jumping for joy in the stands.

Once the team had regrouped, the eighth heat was about to start, and the coach called for everyone's attention.

"Okay, after the tenth heat is the four-man race for our baton team. There are three heats of it with seven schools for each. Then Junior Varsity will get their one round of heats, and we'll get to have the second round of 200-meter heats for Zero and Masaki before the long-distance heats for our juniors."

Since Zero had plenty of time to get his legs to stop feeling like jelly, he paced the fake grass turf for a couple of turns, squatting down once in a while to stretch his quads. Ichiru offered to help him stretch and as the baton race started, they were busy doing just that. Cross's baton team finished third in their heat, so they didn't go onto the second round, and neither of the freshmen boys won their Junior Varsity sprints. With his legs refreshed from the break and from the stretching, Zero and Rokujo sensei walked to the second round of Varsity men's 200-meter sprint, in which he was running against the other four winners of the five men's races in the first round. All four were looking at him apprehensively.

"Just do whatever it is you did last time," the coach said, smiling. "And if you don't win, that's fine, too. But win for the heck of it, okay?" Zero nodded, almost laughing. The butterflies had re-spawned inside his stomach, and he wasn't so sure if he could get rid of them this time. He placed himself into position in lane one, planting his hands and looking up at the finish. Once again conjuring the alluring image of Kaname in his mind, he imagined him standing right on the white line, the fire in his eyes threatening to consume him entirely. Hearing someone say, "Set," he lifted his haunches up, listening for the signal that would let him run to him. A loud pop, and they were off. Imagining the smile that had been on his face when he looked at him from the stands, he tried even harder to get to him, ignoring the faint footfalls of two runners to his right and behind him.

His smile slowly melted, though, into that sinful expression he had the morning that he took his virginity and admitted his love for him. Zero felt his heart skip a beat for the second time that week, and it only bolstered him, stiffening his arms and making his legs reach farther and kick off the ground harder.

Reaching his devilishly handsome vision, he threw himself across the finish line, letting the world come back to him slowly as he skidded to a halt. Gasping for air and wondering how his legs had managed to transform into water, he braced himself for the hug that came from coach. "_Did I win?"_ he wondered. Looking to the marquee and not paying attention to what the coach was saying, he saw his time above everyone else's, which was 0.18 seconds faster than his first time.

He had won by a full half-second.

His coach practically dragged him back to the team, which gave him one big, unified hug. He managed to crane his neck around to find Kaname, and he was clapping very enthusiastically along with the rest of the crowd, which hadn't expected Cross to even be worthy competition that year. The announcer managed to say over the applause that the Varsity Women's 200-meter heat was about to begin, and Zero saw a girl from Cross make her way over to the starting line. Ichiru crushed him in his arms once they finally got to sit back down on a bench.

"I knew it! I knew it!" he squeaked, jostling him with his fervor. Still very much out of breath, Zero gasped for air, watching the second-round runner's squat down to take their positions on the track. Someone pressed a cup of cold water into his hand, and he gratefully gulped it down, not caring if he got cramps.

The gunshot fired yet again. He and Ichiru both hollered for the girl from Cross to win, watching her zip past them, already in first. A girl from Shoto North was very close on her heels, though, and it was obvious that she would overtake the Cross girl before the finish line came. Zero felt his heart sink, but of a sudden, the Shoto North runner cried out and stumbled to a stop, gripping the back of her leg.

"Yes!" Ichiru cheered, sounding extremely competitive. "That's from not drinking enough orange juice!" he called, watching the Cross girl retake the lead with no one else close enough behind her. Yuki was stomping her feet on the bleachers now, having lost her voice mid-race. When the Cross girl ran past the finish line, even the announcer was excited, and the crowd applauded for her as if she had found the cure for cancer. That Cross, an underdog school if ever there was one, had won both 200-meter sprints was a complete miracle. Zero and Ichiru clapped their hands until they buzzed from numbness, and Yuki, no longer able to wait for Masaki, dropped down from the bleachers and skirted around the rest of the Cross track team to fling herself at him once he was in reach.

The tournament wound down from there, and as everyone packed up their things, cleaned up the mess from Masaki's Gatorade shower, and pulled on their warm-up's again, the coach gathered his runners into a circle.

"Well! This has been an extraordinarily successful tournament, boys and girls! But don't think I'm letting up on you!" he warned, waving his index finger at them. The entire team groaned, thinking of the miles they still had to run before the year ended. "I don't want to hear any complaints! You won because you practiced! So we're going to do _more of it!_" he declared, fairly glowing with pride as he looked at his twelve runners. Zero didn't want to hear it, though, and looked to Ichiru for help. Ichiru, zipping up his warm-up suit, butted into Rokujo sensei's speech.

"I think we should all go home and party!" he yelled, picking up his sports bag. The entire team joyfully and noisily agreed, ignoring the coach's protestations. A couple got into cars, including Masaki and Yuki, who were giving Ichiru a ride home. The rest got into the bus that headed back, and Rokujo sensei finally followed, very much defeated. Zero, on the other hand, hung back, saying he had a ride, and waited until they all left. Kaname found him then, pulling him into the tightest hug he had yet received.

"I am so proud of you, Zero." he said, rocking him a bit from side to side. Zero smiled into his shoulder, also proud of himself, but he felt this nagging in his stomach that the person whose approval he wanted most wasn't there to see him. As if reading his thoughts, Kaname continued. "I'm sure he'll come to your spring tournament to see you get a real trophy." His eyes stung slightly at this comment, but he said nothing, and only tightened his arms.

However, that sad thought couldn't even trouble him for long today. Still glowing from his win, he pulled back from his hug, looking around at the teams still straggling to leave the track. Already 9:30 p.m., everyone's Friday night was gone since most teams had to drive back to their respective locales, and most were tired. People were dragging their feet towards the track exit that lead to the parking lot. Zero, however, was riding a cloud of bliss. Feeling Kaname's hand grab onto his, he looked towards Kaname as he passed by, pulling him along to the exit as well.

"Want to celebrate?" he asked, looking askance at Zero once he caught up and walked next to him.

"What did you have in mind?" he asked, picturing a late dinner at a nice, cozy restaurant or a quick trip to the 'kiddies bar' that let in 18-year-old's, which mostly existed to get a cover charge, sell soda pops, and blast out their under-aged brains with loud, indiscernible music.

"Well, you're probably tired, so I thought we'd take home something from a fast-food place. We'll have a nice quiet Friday, and I'll take you somewhere fun on Saturday." Zero thought of the conclusion he still had to write for his English paper, but knowing that he could do that on Saturday morning, he didn't comment and merely nodded.

_-10:40pm, Friday,-_

By the time they exited the highway, back from their trip to, Zero was napping in the passenger seat, looking exhausted. Believing that he'd go straight to sleep when they got home, Kaname skipped the fast-food restaurant and drove towards home. It was especially dark that night because of the New Moon and a deep layer of clouds. The suburb streets had a couple lingering cars with teenagers in them, all ready to go out wherever. The streetlights glowed, lighting up Zero's face as they drove deeper into the older part of the residential area. Zero seemed to realize that they were almost home and shifted, breathing a bit deeper as his mind regained its focus. A half-sigh escaped his mouth as he sat up straighter in his seat, watching the car pull around the last corner.

"We're almost home?" he asked, still a bit dazed. Kaname rolled his head around his neck, working out the kinks from sitting so still for over an hour.

"Yup. I think I heard you snoring," he fibbed, looking over at his younger lover. Zero half-heartedly whacked his arm, denying such an accusation.

"I do _not_ snore..." Wiping the sleep from his eyes, "And thankfully, neither do you. When father was asleep I could still hear him through his door and through mine." He could hear the smile in Zero's voice, as if remembering times before his mother's death. Random mentions of his father were bothering him less now, but even now he still paused a bit before lightly laughing. "_He needs his father in his life, I know that. What child does not want the love of a parent?"_

"Like a bomb going off?" he joked. Hearing Zero's answering chuckle, he smiled, sincerely hoping for his father's recovery. He only dreaded telling the man the truth of what existed between him and his son. That day probably wasn't soon, but it was definitely and unavoidably on the horizon. Pulling up the driveway and into the garage, he brought the car to a halt, turning off the engine and taking off his seatbelt.

"Why are you parking in here?" he asked, having seen him park outside everyday up until then.

"There's supposed to be some snow tonight, and since it's starting to get below freezing, the car will appreciate it if I let it stay in the slightly warmer garage," he answered, closing the driver-side door. Then, pulling out his sports-bag from the backseat despite Zero's insistence that he would carry it, he walked to the garage door, pushing it open with his mind.

"I can't believe that it's already almost eleven. Where did my Friday go?" he asked no one in particular, following Kaname to the stairs. He looked over his shoulder at the younger as they ascended, his words echoed by the squeak of the stairs.

"To a sensational win at the Tokyo-wide high school mock track tournament. It's a good use of your day."

"It is, isn't it?" he grinned, holding onto the back of Kaname's sweatshirt once they reached the top of the stairs.

"You can just go on to bed if you're tired. I'm thinking of staying up a bit longer to finish grading some of the tests from Thursday. I wanted to turn them back in on Monday, so..." he said over his shoulder, walking into their room and setting Zero's bag down near the closet. Not bothering to turn on the light in the bedroom, he turned towards him.

"Maybe I should go to bed...but I want to stay up a bit longer, too," he answered, setting his hands on the back of his own hips.

"We could watch something," he suggested, shoving his hands into the pockets of his hooded sweatshirt.

"Nah...we could...work on the sign language project?"

"Good God, no!" Kaname mockingly gasped, getting a laugh out of him. "No work today if you're staying up. Hmm...want to play poker?"

"And lose to your poker face twenty times in a row when I don't even know how to make a full house? Yeah, right...I'll pass," he said, waving one hand in front of him.

"Oh, come on, you only lost five bucks the last time we played," he cajoled, now wanting to play more than ever.

"But we only betted about fifteen cents in each round! I think I only won once because you got the crappiest hand ever seen in the history of poker!'"

"I promise to explain some strategies..."

"Nope, no poker. At least not tonight, I'd like to fall asleep a winner today."

"Well, what do you want to do then?" he asked, having run out of suggestions. This...this had been the cue Zero had been waiting for.

"How about some sex?" he asked, looking nonchalant about it. Kaname's mouth fell ajar, and he looked like the light had gone off behind his eyes. "_Hmph...must have shocked him."_ His head then moved slightly, and his lower jaw jerked a bit. Blinking at Zero, he watched him smile in amusement.

"Don't toy with me," he said, half-serious. Zero couldn't see it, but his hands were fisted inside his sweatshirt pockets.

"I'm not toying with you. It's been almost a week, and...I'm feeling better. Let's have sex," he said, smirking.

"You're not joking?" he asked, more of a statement than a question. He shook his head to indicate that he wasn't, and reached up to pull down the zipper of his warm-up jacket. Tossing it to the floor, he kicked off his shoes, and then looked up at him again.

"You really, really want to have sex?" he asked one last time, bringing his clenched hands out of his pockets.

"Yes, Kaname," he laughed out. "Are you going to do this every time we do it?" Shoving his sweatpants down to his ankles, he stepped out of them, now wearing just his track jersey, running shorts, and socks.

"Just be aware that the next time you suggest it first, I won't stop to make sure you mean it," he smiled, his face half-lit by the light spilling in from the hallway. Not expecting it, Zero gasped when he lunged for him. He threw Zero over his shoulder and hefted him up. Half-gasping with surprise, he clutched the back of his sweatshirt, certain that he would fall off.

He took the four steps between where he picked him up and the bed, tossing him onto it. Bracing his knee on the bed between Zero's bent legs, he grasped the waist of Zero's shorts, gripping the waist of his boxers as well. Pulling them off, he was surprised that he didn't try to stop him out of embarrassment. He did protest, though.

"Are you in a hurry?" Still shy, he quickly closed his legs once his shorts and underwear landed in a heap on the carpet behind them, and obviously wanted to cover himself with his hands.

"I'm always in a hurry when it comes to you," he suavely supplied, taking a bit of Zero's anger away with his charm. He continued to strip him, though, pulling his jersey up over his head and throwing it behind them. Smoothing his hands up his waist, he felt Zero shiver.

"Take off your clothes," Zero requested, his voice obviously affected. Taking his knee off the bed, he jerked the zipper of his sweatshirt down before hastily wiggling out of it. Then whipping his shirt over his head, he went to work on his belt. Seeing the readiness of his lover, his hands worked even faster, pulling the belt through the loops as if ready to crack a whip. He unbuttoned and unzipped them as well, pushing them down and kicking them away with his shoes and socks. Looking down at his pelvis, Zero looked at the half-rigid member quickly increasing in size. He didn't have much time to inspect it, though, before he blocked out the light from the hallway. Feeling Kaname's hands on his knees, Zero resisted from opening his legs, a bit too rushed. He would have none of that, though, and pushed harder, spreading Zero's thighs even as he laid over him.

"Don't be nervous," he whispered, dotting his neck with wet kisses. "It'll only make it harder to get inside." Certainly not wanting that, he tried to relax, but still felt an acute lingering embarrassment. Lying across the bed gave them less room, so Kaname lifted him slightly and hefted them to lie diagonally across the bed. Then bracing his weight on one elbow, he leaned up and guided Zero's mouth to his, already finding it open and waiting for his tongue's invasion. Rubbing the smooth skin on his thigh and hip, Kaname tried to relax him for a minute, enjoying the hesitant caresses of his hands on his shoulders and neck.

"Does this feel good?" he gruffly asked, rubbing his hand over a wider range and finding the smooth planes of his stomach as well as the firm muscles on the back of his thigh. Hearing the embarrassment in his voice, Kaname heard him answer in the affirmative, and continued to brush his hand over his skin. Taking his mouth again, he pressed his pelvis down upon his, passively reminding him of the real act.

Zero moved restlessly, mysteriously aroused by his haste and the distracting hand that he knew was slowly making its way to the apex of his thighs. His hands rubbed Kaname's upper back, finding the knots of muscles and kneading at them with his trembling fingers. Zero's feet were suspended over the bedspread, feeling its texture with his toes as his legs brushed the purebloods hips and backside.

Kaname's hand traveled down his leg again, only to swerve around the curve of his thigh and sweep up towards the center of his body. Kaname felt Zero's body jerk in surprise, but he made no other move as Kaname's palm manipulated the sensitive skin, slipping up his hard length and rubbing where it created the most pleasure. Zero was finally responding to his kiss, though, playing with his tongue as his hand aroused his body even more. A few heartbeats later, Kaname felt Zero's hips subtly rocking, seeking more from the stimulus between his legs. Wrapping his fingers around the base, he slowly slid his palm up and rubbed his thumb in circles over the tip, and was rewarded with a long moan that spilled into his mouth from Zero's warm lips.

Zero wasn't sure why, but tonight, he felt especially turned on. His head was already swimming. Every single twitch of Kaname's fingers elicited more than the usual throb of pleasure, and every inch of his skin was warm to the touch. Wanting him to feel the same, Zero slipped one arm down between them, past the hand that made his body react so lusciously, to the swollen limb that jutted out from his body. Hesitantly wrapping his fingers around it, noting how Kaname's hand paused for a split second and air hissed into his lungs. His hand then resumed, and Zero began to move his fingers over him.

Both kept this up for long minutes, their breathing becoming harsher and shallower, and their skin glistening as perspiration broke out from the exertion.

"Ah, God, that feels so good," Zero finally gasped out, moving his hips with more insistence. His mind was being bombarded. He was trying to concentrate both on the sensations pulsating throughout his lower half, and on his intent to bring the same feelings to Kaname. His phallus was now wet in Zero's hand, having seeped out a silky liquid that lubricated the hardened length. Kaname's pelvis was also lightly thrusting, sometimes brushing the insides of his thighs. When Kaname's hand stopped, he thought for a split second that he might kill him for doing so, and his phallus slipped from his dampened fingers. Kaname's longest finger reached further down and squeezed its way inside Zero's body, checking something, and then he leaned back, his chest heaving and his hair slightly mussed from Zero's roaming hand.

"Get a pillow if you need it, okay?" he gasped out, reaching over to his nightstand. Retrieving a contraceptive and applying it while Zero extracted a pillow from beneath the bed covers, he tried to control his shaking hands as he retrieved the bottle of lubrication. Having cushioned his head, he set his feet on the bedspread, framed around Kaname's hips, and forced his muscles to relax. His manhood throbbed pleasantly from the stimulation, waiting for the final climb. He watched as Kaname lubed his fingers, then lifted himself over him, bracing his hands on either side of Zero's shoulders.

"Did...you want to be on top?" he asked, not quite sure of his motivation for asking such a question. He wanted to do what Zero wanted-anything that he wanted would be what he wanted, too. He shook his head, though, answering with a husky tone,

"Not this time...I like having you on top of me." Reaching down, Zero took a hold of him and squeezed, feeling the rock hard firmness. The tendons in his neck immediately stood out and his eyes closed. He hissed down at him, lowering his weight onto him. Zero brought his hand away, letting him take control of the next part. He stretched his arm down between their bodies, finding himself and the warm entrance to his lover, and began to prepare him with his stretching fingers. Zero tried to relax. He was anxious and yet hoping that it was now painless.

He took a couple of seconds to rub the head over him, stoking Zero's arousal, before nudging the tip at his entrance and pressing towards his center. He let out a short, breathy moan, looking down at Zero as he gently pushed. Zero was most definitely grimacing, and he stopped immediately.

"Does it still hurt?" he asked, a bit incredulous. Zero nodded, his eyes shining in the dimness of the room.

"It's...just really tight. You're still too big," he croaked out.

"No kidding... You are...very tight," he growled. For him, being tight was usually a good thing. Their first time, he was a little _too_ tight, and even now he was only slightly better. He also felt frustrated, wanting his younger lover to reach the kind of orgasm he felt he could only give him when performing actual sex-but it seemed that he still needed to be 'broken in,' so to speak.

"Keep going, please...seems that there's no way to avoid it," he wisely observed, trying even harder to relax as much as possible. He nodded, thrusting farther in. Zero breathed in sharply, but only opened his legs wider. Grasping one of his hips with his hand, Kaname pulled himself the rest of the way inside, moaning. Not waiting more than a split second, he pulled back, shoving his hips into him over and over again. He felt Zero's hands settle on his sides, and in an attempt to do _anything_ to make it better, swiveled his hips a few times as he thrust.

"Yes...ahhh, yeahhh," he groaned, biting his lower lip as the heat of orgasm began to pool in his groin. He felt that heat slowly rising, and pumped his hips faster, hearing the bed's squeaks and the liquid smack of his engorged length hitting deep within his tight, lithe body. Despite the immense discomfort, Zero felt a strange pride in his chest, hearing the lust-driven words that parted his lips. "_I'm the only one that makes him feel that good."_

"Uhhhn! Ahh, God...uhhh..." he groaned, slowing his pace considerably but now thrusting hard and deep. Zero was starting to feel a little trickle of pleasure, but it was severely dampened by the almost rough thrusting that stretched the walls of his body. Going deep, he rotated his hips over him. His face then dropped down to the crook of Zero's neck, muffling his voice, but he continued to make love to him, gripping the bedspread in his fists and rocking him back with every thrust.

"Sorry...it's just...feels so good...ahhhh..._!_" he suddenly gasped, much louder than before. Zero felt his upper body stiffen and his lower half sped up, beating his hips against him as he struggled for breath. Zero watched the ceiling bob in front of his wide eyes, and was also breathing with difficulty. The pleasure had intensified, but he was nowhere near climax. He just let his mind focus on the feel of him moving in and out of him. It was all he could feel and think of, anyway. The slower pullout and the sharp, fast plunge, jabbing at him and creating a friction that warmed him from the inside. The clench of his lower back muscles underneath his hands signaled each new thrust, and as the pace picked up, Zero tried to widen his legs some more, which made his inner muscles tighten.

"Hmmphh... uhhhh! _Uuuhhhh!_" he groaned into Zero's shoulder, pressing deep and holding himself there, though every couple of seconds, his hips made a small buck. Zero felt his member throbbing inside of him, slowly and inexorably softening as the strength shot from his body. He was trembling as he laid over him, and Zero breathed a sigh of relief as the pain between his legs reduced to a dull ache. He was breathing heavily against his neck, and he felt him nuzzle a bit closer. The best part, though, was the heavy pounding of his heart. Zero could keenly feel it against his right breast, thumping in time to his own.

"Feeling better now?" Zero asked, rubbing his hands over the ridge of his spine.

"Oh yeah," he grunted, wrapping one hand around his shoulder and pressing a chaste kiss to the side of his neck. Zero smiled at the ceiling, for some reason feeling even more proud of himself. He didn't speak for about a minute, waiting long enough for him to rest.

"Still want to play poker?" he queried, already knowing his answer.

"Too tired..." Kaname mumbled, his breath finally coming back to him. Zero pressed a kiss to his damp temple, squeezing his thighs against his hips.

"Already getting old, huh?" he teased, galvanizing him to lift his head. He looked down at him dimly lit visage, squinting one eye at him.

"...On second thought, I'm not _that_ tired." Taking offense to his barb, he lifted himself off of him, pulling out and helping Zero sit up. Saying he'd be right back, he wandered off toward the bathroom, as naked as the day he was born. Zero searched around for a shirt, and ended up borrowing one of Kaname's white button-down, pinstriped shirts that he might have worn to work. It draped all the way down to the middle of his thighs so he didn't bother to put anything else on. Finding his brush, he took care of the tangles in his hair, and was setting the brush back down when Kaname reentered the room.

"Heh...I might be upset that you're wearing my shirt, but you seem to look better in it than I do," he complimented, searching in his dresser drawers for a pair of pants.

"Oh! I'm sorry! Do you want me to put it back?" he offered sheepishly, having completely skimmed over that possibility. He shook his head, smiling.

"You're welcome to anything in this house," he responded, earning a happy smile from his lovers lips. Zero then availed himself of the bathroom, using it to clean up a bit and check his teeth in the mirror. In the bedroom, Kaname pulled on a pair of his black boxer-briefs and a pair of sweatpants, settling for a plain white shirt to cover the rest of him as he pulled it over his head.

"Wanna bet fifty cents per round this time?" Zero suggested, walking by the bedroom door on his way to the stairs. He caught up to Zero quickly, placing his hand in the small of his back as they made their way downstairs.

"You'll only lose more money that way," he joked, rounding the landing with him.

"You said you'd teach me some strategies first-and I pick up stuff really fast," he sniffed in pretence.

"Okay, okay," Kaname conceded with a smile on his face.

They laughed on their way to the back room of the house to play poker, not knowing that something terrible was happening only a few blocks away...

*******************************************************KZKZKZ**

**So I have decided to finish For the Love of Rose after I finish this story. Sorry! So anywho I didn't get many reviews last chapter so I'm guessing my last chapter wasn't so great. **

**On a brighter note, I hope everyone is enjoying their summer ^^ and even if you don't have an account on fanfiction you still can review me. *wink*wink***

**Oh and I really rushed through this chapter so sorry about that. Will fix stuff later. **

**^stallion14^**


	11. It's important to be gentle

**A/N: For the Love of Rose will be updated soon btw. **

**Summary: ****He watched the purebloods house, wondering which window in the penthouse occupied the silver haired beauty. He saw him every day, wanting him endlessly. They didn't know how much he watched, no one did. It was amazing, even to him, that he got so much done in the day. He had big plans on the horizon. When everyone thought they might be safe, he'd be there, waiting to take advantage of an unlocked door, a forgetful parent... His plans would start soon, though. It would surely be a huge deal, he knew. But, more than anything, he was willing to risk it all for his prize, his silver beauty. Sure, the hunters would show up, but he was too smart for them, too smart for any of them, even a pureblood. His boys, his victims though...they were the only ones who would know. His cock ached to have them...and his fangs ached to drink them dry once he had his fun with their body. Shivering, he tore his gaze away from the house reluctantly and made his way back along the street, thoughts rapidly swirling in his head.**

**Chapter: It's important to be gentle **

_-11:45pm, Friday-_

"Honestly, you're planning to seize my entire fortune aren't you?" Kaname accused, watching as Zero took the small pile of poker chips in the space between them. He laughed, adding the chips to his mound of winnings. In no less than fifteen minutes, Kaname was certain that the other male was hustling him. He had only won two hands, and it was due to extreme luck in drawing cards. Zero had won eleven hands, earning himself almost fifteen bucks.

"Fourteen dollars and fifty cents is your entire fortune? By the looks of it I'd say you're a fib." he laughed, enjoying his lover's mock anger. Zero was smiling at him over his latest hand, and Kaname had to admire the sparkle in his eyes. When Zero first sat down, Kaname had felt a betraying blush when he complained of how sore he was.

"_I just hope that in the future you're only sore because we've made love so much, rather than being honestly injured by someone." _

"You've been lying to me all this time about your talent with cards, Zero...I know what you're doing, and it's stripping away all of my masculinity!" Kaname accused again. Zero only smirked at him, laying down one card to exchange it for a new one.

"Dealer takes one. Don't worry, Kana...your masculinity is actually too large for me to diminish it in any way," he flirted, looking at the new card. His eyes gave away nothing more than affection, so Kaname couldn't tell if he had a good hand or not. "_Damn it all to hell!"_

He knew he had a great hand, but it wasn't the best hand, and he'd probably end up losing more money…though…that really wasn't the issue at all because he had more money then what was healthy for him.

"I'll raise you a dollar-fifty," he declared, tossing more poker chips onto the four already in the middle of the table. Zero lifted one eyebrow, looking down at the pile of money-sure, it wasn't _a lot_ of money, but winning this much after all the gloating Kaname did before was the best revenge.

"I'll see your raise then," Zero answered, keeping his face passive. "Are you ready?" Kaname kept his poker face intact, trying his damnedest to intimidate him into folding. Zero didn't budge, though, and the pureblood tossed down his hand.

"I've got a straight," he announced, satisfied when he saw the younger's mouth fall ajar. It closed almost immediately, though, and he looked at the pure breed with pleasure.

"I'm surprised, Kana...you _almost_ won this time." Tossing down his hand, he watched Kaname's eyes bulge. "A straight flush-and that beats your hand. Another two dollars for me!" he announced happily, herding the chips to his side.

"How do you _do_ it?" he asked, flabbergasted-if such a word were appropriate.

"Tsk tsk_, _do not ask a man his secrets. Want another hand?" he asked sweetly, stacking his chips neatly.

"And lose Monday's lunch money? No, thanks," he joked, letting the younger get away with swindling him. "Besides, it looks like you're getting tired," he pointed out. Hiding a yawn behind his hand, Zero pouted cutely at him, not wanting his perfect day to end yet. Feeling that he wouldn't be able to enjoy his Saturday if he slept most of the morning and didn't get his English paper's conclusion written, he relented and stood up.

"There you go, with my life savings and my shirt," Kaname said, smiling as he stuffed the cards back into their box. Zero sleepily yawned at him, stretching his arms up and bringing the hem of the shirt dangerously close to revealing more than just legs. Kaname, of course, eyed it just as any man, gay or straight, would, and Zero smiled widely when he dropped his arms again and sauntered off.

Squinting his eyes at him, Kaname left the deck of cards where they were, stuffing the last of his meager fortune into his wallet and following him up the stairs after switching off all the downstairs lights. In the bedroom again, he found Zero kneeling on their large bed, hands on the edge of the mattress as he peered out the window.

"Look!" he excitedly whispered. "It's snowing."

Watching the sparkling, giant flakes as they passed by a property light at the end of the house, he recalled one of his first Christmases. The only memories he really had were of his brother and mother smiling faces and the sweet taste of ginger, but snow, without a doubt, always reminded him of _that_ day. The bed dipped behind him, and he felt a warm chest brush against his back. Two strong arms slid around his abdomen, bringing him close against Kaname's warm and inviting chest, and for a few minutes, together they watched the snow fall, gently and silently floating to the ground.

"Let's go to sleep, okay?" he whispered, bringing Zero out of the semi-conscious state into which he had fallen. Realizing that he was half-sagging in his lover's arms, Zero blushed, a bit unsteadily following him beneath the covers. Snuggling up to him was one of the best feelings in the world because of the way Kaname would open his arms to him and pulled him close, being held by him felt safe, warm and right. It was only a minute before he fell asleep, curled close to his older lover with one arm over his side and the other tucked between them. Kaname took a bit longer to fall asleep, having not completely gotten accustomed to going to bed at night, but the warmth beneath the blankets and the tiring events of the day wore him down quickly, and he mumbled three words of endearment before letting Morpheus take over.

_-Somewhere, Sometime That Night-_

He watched the purebloods house, wondering which window in the penthouse occupied the silver haired beauty. He saw him every day, wanting him endlessly. They didn't know how much he watched, no one did. It was amazing, even to him, that he got so much done in the day. He had big plans on the horizon. When everyone thought they might be safe, he'd be there, waiting to take advantage of an unlocked door, a forgetful parent... His plans would start soon, though. It would surely be a huge deal, he knew. But, more than anything, he was willing to risk it all for his prize, his silver beauty. Sure, the hunters would show up, but he was too smart for them, too smart for any of them, even a pureblood. His boys, his victims though...they were the only ones who would know. His cock ached to have them...and his fangs ached to drink them dry once he had his fun with their body. Shivering, he tore his gaze away from the house reluctantly and made his way back along the street, thoughts rapidly swirling in his head.

_-9:00 am, Saturday-_

Taking a tired breath, Kaname sleepily opened his eyes, popping his neck slightly and wondering why he felt so warm...more so then usual. Looking down, he saw that all of the blankets were stacked on top of him, and looked over to see that Zero was uncovered, probably having kicked the covers off of him and onto him instead. Wondering if he was cold, Kaname carefully sat up, letting his head adjust to the difference in elevation as blood rushed away from his brain. Closing his eyes, he rubbed the bridge of his nose between his index finger and thumb, hoping to wake up soon. Yawning again, he opened his eyes and turned to look at him once more.

His body immediately froze, looking at the superbly delicious pose the boy was in. Now he remembered-Zero hadn't put on any boxers after their hot little session on the bed, only a shirt. Well, the shirt rode high enough to see everything below the navel, but what was even better was that his left leg was bent, the foot upon the bed, and his knee was pointed outward, resting on the edge of the bed. His other leg wasn't quite as bent, but it was bent in the opposite direction, giving Kaname an excellent view of the clamping warmth that always enveloped him so well.

It was much too convenient for him to pass up. And really, who could blame him?

Zero was dreaming something odd indeed. He was running after a black car that he didn't recognize, but he somehow knew that his father was in it. He didn't seem to be driving, though. Rather, it felt like he was in the passenger seat, even though he couldn't see anything inside the car. It picked up speed as he neared the bumper, quickly losing him as it drove down one of those desert highways seen in Nevada or Utah-the endless roads that Hollywood sometimes loved to use. It felt like the middle of July out there, and he realized that he himself had no car. The sun was hot on his neck and back, though not so much on his legs. He could see heat waves in the distance, and turned to see if any cars were coming down the road towards him. As he expected, though, the highway was void of traffic. Walking a few paces to get off of the highway pavement, he stood on the roadside, not sure what to do now. The sun continued beating down on him, and he felt like his skin was burning. He looked around as if trying to find a backpack so that he could apply sunscreen, but the backpack was gone. In fact, everything he wore was gone! He was stark butt naked out here!

Now hoping more than ever that the next car to come by would be some sweet old lady, and not some trucker or some creepy pedophile, he looked both ways again, still seeing no signs of life. Everything felt hazy, as if he were about to have a heat stroke, and he wondered if he was going to faint before a car could come by to get him.

The edges of his vision began to gray, and he whipped his head from left to right, hoping to shake the haziness and at the same time, search for an oncoming car. It was no use, though. The grayness seeped in further, trailing a blackness that threatened unconsciousness. He felt so dizzy-so warm...he was sure that he was going to faint, and the grayness pressed at his eyes, drawing him into the blackness until it swallowed him completely…

Gasping as he awoke from his disturbing dream, he raised his head, immediately finding the source that had awoken him. His beloved was between his thighs, his lips fainting kissing upon the heavy meat of his body. Kaname looked up at him from his position between his spread legs, daring him to say something, but not stopping his assault on his tempting cock. Dropping his head back to the pillow and closing his eyes again, he loudly sighed, for the moment unable to say anything at all. The hand resting on his chest reached back to clutch the pillow beneath his head, needing something to cling to as a burning awareness began to pool in his stomach and to his length as a result of Kaname's hot mouth. He felt him adjust the fingers holding his thighs apart, and then his lips and tongue found him again, teasing the hot, semi hard skin.

His breath was intermittently hot and cool as he breathed in and out, and the wet sound of his tongue gliding over his tip was one of the many sounds assaulting his ears. Zero's feet rasped against the bed covers, and the jerky but small movements of his hips elicited tiny squeaks from the bed, thanks to vampire hearing, but his shallow breathing was the loudest of all.

"_Oh_ Kami," Zero sighed. He stared at the ceiling, closing his eyes once in a while as the minutes slowly but pleasurably ticked by. Though, Kaname spent most of those minutes flicking and dallying with the head of his achingly painful length. He sometimes jabbed his tongue within the small cavern, mimicking the basest of acts with tiny thrusts. Zero's stomach muscles were convulsing now, reacting to the direct touches that his tongue made to his highly sensitive tip.

At that moment, Zero rapidly cursed Kaname in his head for always wanting to do _this _slowly and drawl out his ever little reaction. But really, that was another thing he deeply loved about the pureblood.

His thigh muscles clenched, heels digging into the mattress, and his back arched, hardly relieving the tension. _"More."_An achy sort of moan left his mouth with each breath, escaping him involuntarily.

"Oh…mmh...more Kaname," he begged, sliding his hands down his own body to the head between his thighs. His hands gripped the sides of Kaname's face, legs spreading wide, but the pureblood merely teased his sweet spot, taking more into his mouth in tiny increments. When he wouldn't cooperate, Zero's hands threaded through his lover's hair, not to make him go faster, but simply because he just wanted to _feel _him. He tried gently rocking his hips, but Kaname only tightened his arms over his pelvis, keeping him in place and gently teasing the life out of him.

Desperate now, he hurriedly shoved the shirt he still wore up to his collarbone, exposing his toned chest to the cool air of the room, which tweaked the rosy peaks into reacting. One of his hands ran down his body again to play in Kaname's hair while the other squeezed and tweaked the blushing nipples between his thumb and pointing finger, sending tiny, satisfying trickles of pleasure down to the pit of his stomach that shot straight to his cock. Kaname, realizing that he couldn't keep it slow for much longer, adjusted his fingers again, sliding one up and down the inside of Zero's thighs, receiving a shiver in return.

He tongued the underside of his length to get it wet before molding his lips over it, he sucked in a breath as he hollowed his cheeks.

"_Uhhhnnn!_" Zero groaned, not being able to help it and began raising his hips despite Kaname's attempts to hold him down. His nipples forgotten, he merely held himself up about half a foot, clenching his thighs tightly around his lover's head and rolling his own head back into the pillow. His hands found the covers and gripped them as if they would keep him on the ground. Harsh gasps and groans sawed in and out of his lungs, high, breathless, and shallow.

"Kaname, Oh..." he winced, still...not quite...there. "_uhhhh_, please...please..." he gasped out uncontrollable, subtly gyrating his hips. He felt Kaname's mouth suck harder, and his heart stopped inside his chest-lungs freezing, and muscles solidifying as satisfying large warmth washed down his body. His mouth opened in a silent scream, hips jerked with the force of his orgasm. It was indescribably good-as if a liquid-smooth, hot hand was now messaging his still hard muscles, throbbing over them and leaving behind a buzz better than any drug on the market. He vaguely thought that he might be crushing his head with his thighs, but it was a wayward, somehow unimportant consideration.

Eventually things stopped spinning. His world righted itself again, and some unknown force, probably exhaustion, pushed his hips down to the bed. His muscles liquefied, becoming more relaxed than he had felt in quite a few weeks.

"Mmm," he sighed, unclenching his white-knuckled hands and smirking with pleasure. Kaname rose to his knees, fully clad in his nightclothes still, though an unmistakable bulge tented his sweatpants. He licked his lips and eyed Zero hungrily. Zero stretched lazily, as if he were a cat with a belly-full of cream. Looking up at him with a satisfied expression, he encircled his forearms in his hands, licking his own lips.

"That was...utter bliss," he sighed, his eyes closing as if remembering it. His solid weight settled over Zero, pressing him down into the mattress as well as pressing his urgent need against the still-twitching hole between his thighs. Zero felt a wet mouth against his neck, and grinned happily.

"That was to make up for last night," Kaname muttered against his throat, his voice husky from sleep and arousal. "I brought you close, but not far enough..."

"If that's how you make up for everything, then I'll have to start nagging you more," Zero flirted, squeezing his legs against Kaname's hips. Zero's hands traveled over his back, finding warm and toned muscles beneath the thin cotton t-shirt.

"You're so beautiful," Kaname complimented, sliding his fingers over his sides and brushing his lips along the younger's shoulder. Zero chuckled, pushing his hand away.

"That tickles, baka." His statement only goaded the pureblood further, for he wiggled his digits against his skin, holding him in place with his weight as Zero laughed beneath him. Zero's body automatically tried to buck him off, shoving his hips against his blatant arousal. When he suddenly stopped and groaned, clenching his jaw, Zero thought he had hurt him for a split second. But Kaname's body seemed to curve closer to him, and he watched Kaname's eyes change in a blink, becoming the color of sex, if there was such a color.

"Zero...do you think that..." he started, swallowing once as his voice left him momentarily.

"I'm...sore from last night. My insides feel like jelly," he admitted, biting his lower lip. Zero could see the disappointment on his face, the promise in his eyes that he would be gentle, but he didn't say anything and backed away after leaving a kiss on his forehead. The wash of bliss was dampened by the guilt he suddenly felt, and Zero sat up to watch him as he left the room, saying that he was going to shower. Chewing his lip in thought, he swung his legs over the edge of the bed.

Kaname shut the bathroom door behind him, sighing heavily as he tugged his t-shirt over his head. He knew he had to be patient—His lover was young, tender, and new to the intricacies of sex...but he'd be damned if he didn't admit to himself that he was a little frustrated. He couldn't sate his lust for him even in the slightest of ways. Every time he saw the silver head beauty, he felt an incredible urge to hold him, kiss him, and make love to him right there on the floor if he had to, and it was playing havoc with his more manly parts. He now knew the meaning of the phrase 'blue-balled' even though it wasn't passable for a vampire.

The solution to which he resorted lately was a cold shower. He had never needed such a diversion when his girlfriends were already inaugurated into lovemaking, ready to please the pureblood at the snap of a flawless finger, but now that he had Zero, it was his only salvation from forcing himself upon him.

Dropping his sweatpants to the floor, he stepped out of them and picked them up, tossing them into the hamper next to the linen closet, which needed to be re-stocked with more bath towels since only one was left, plus an odd assortment of hand towels that he never used. Turning on the shower, he started it off warm and stepped into the stall, shutting the wavy glass door behind him. After soaping off the remnants of the previous night, he washed the foam from his body, mentally sighing again when his erection refused to relax. As he turned to grab his shampoo bottle from the built-in shelf on the back wall of the shower stall, the door suddenly opened, startling him into dropping the bottle.

There stood Zero, his lover, standing as naked as the day he was born, and blushing from the roots of his hair to the graceful lines of his shoulders. Zero's hand dropped from the door handle to his side, and he licked his lips as if ready to say something. Nothing came out, though, and Kaname looked to see two hand towels in his other hand. Kaname phallus jumped as soon as he recognized his intentions, and he was transfixed for a long ten seconds, not caring that water was ricocheting off of him and onto the bathroom floor. The first to break the spell was Zero, who squatted down and sneaked his hand out to pick up the shampoo bottle. Standing back up, he put his foot forward into the stall, and Kaname backed up immediately to make room for him.

"Mind if I join you?" he asked breathlessly, the line of seduction sounding awkward, but it had the exact same effect as if it were said confidently. Pulling the door shut as the rest of his body entered the spacious stall, reaching behind him to set the bottle back into the wire basket attached to the shower shelf. The warm, cascading water immediately wet the back of Zero's head, darkening his hair and weighing it down. Without breaking eye contact, Zero reached up to the showerhead above and behind him, turning it until it sprayed water at the back wall.

Neither vampire's seemed to be able to say anything more. It was a decadent, silent moment as Zero carefully lowered himself to his knees, cushioning them with the hand towels he had pilfered from the linen closet. Kaname watched his lover with his mouth open, sucking in shallow breaths, as Zero touched his hands to his thighs. Zero pressed kisses to Kaname's pelvis, keeping the pace slow. The only reason why Kaname felt his back and shoulders meet the side wall was because the tiles were so cold against his heated skin. The outside world no longer existed for him-everything he needed at the moment was inside that shower stall. He was somehow afraid of breaking the tension between them if he touched Zero, so his hands stayed clenched at his sides as his young lover kisses drew closer and closer to the organ that needed his attention the most.

The sound of running water was loud in the stall, so his kisses sounded muffled, and his heart thudded dully in the purebloods sensitive ears. As soon as his lips ever so gently kissed the side of his raging arousal, it jumped in reaction, motivating Zero to hold it in place with one hand at the base. Kissing the side again, only higher up this time, he listened for any sign from his lover that he was enjoying it, but the shower made it difficult to hear, even with his vampire hearing, so he went on blind faith that he was going fast enough for him. Zero's eyes opened and looked to the side, finding Kaname's tightly clenched hands, knuckles white from the grip of his fist.

Closing his eyes again, Zero opened his mouth and slid his tongue out, rubbing the flat of it heavily over the tip of him. A loud groan met his ears, and he continued to stimulate the tip as his hand rubbed up and down the shaft, feeling the roll of hot skin over the hardened tissues beneath.

Kaname made no attempt to stop the sounds issuing from his mouth. His body was hot for Zero, but the boy's mouth was hotter. Every time his hand slid over him, compounded by the wet, smooth movements of his tongue, jolts of pleasure sizzled along the length of him to the pit of his stomach. His only fight was to keep from bucking into his mouth. Zero usually let him know when it was okay, since a couple of times before he had moved and only managed to choke him slightly. But still, the desire to go faster was immense.

"Zero," he groaned, voice low and gravelly. "S-...s-suck me..._please_," he asked politely. His hands clenched and unclenched at his sides, his lungs breathing rapidly, and Zero thankfully complied, having heard the words he had been waiting for. Molding his lips around the shaft of his arousal, Zero moved his head forward, pulling him into the hot cavern of his sinful mouth.

"_Uuuhhhh!_" His hands wanted to find the wet hair on Zero's head and form around the curve of his skull, but he kept them where they were as Zero moved his mouth over him, holding nothing back as he pumped him with his hand and licked or sucked every sensitive inch of flesh. His hips involuntarily jerked after not too long, and Zero took the hint as he held his head in place, letting Kaname take over. Zero's hand followed his movements as best as he could, massaging the delicate sack beneath.

Zero was always good at this, but he was exceptionally good that day—and Kaname felt his knees shaking as the heat of orgasm gathered in his stomach. A pressure began to rapidly build at the base of his erection, and his eyes shut tightly against the need to hit the glass door with his fist. He felt Zero's mouth pull harder upon him, and nearly lost his head, bucking a few last times as the surge of climax shot up and out of his body. Zero pulled back barely in time, letting the streams of his pleasure shoot onto his chest or over his shoulder.

"_Nngh, Ze...roo!" _he yelled through clenched teeth. Agonized groans eked out of him, sounding pained. Zero watched as the ecstasy passed over his face, he loved watching that part. Ever since last week when Kaname had shown him his reaction to the way he made him feel, Zero longed to see it again, and felt happy knowing that he had successfully done so. Eventually, the strings of semen ceased, and Kaname halfway softened in his hand. Zero hastily backed up as Kaname slid down the slick, tiled wall to sit at the bottom, and watched the reaction in his face as the pureblood looked at him.

Kaname had never loved anyone like this...not even his ex-fiancé had so thoroughly claimed his heart. He had not been able to tell Zero about her, afraid that he would think of him differently or treat him differently-now he felt obliged to tell him, and made a serious mental note to do so as soon as he could. Looking at Zero, his lover who watched him expectantly and still sported a few swirls of his own ejaculation on his perfect chest, he knew that the younger cared deeply about him, about the frustrations and joys in his life. Zero could read him so much better than Sara ever did. Zero wasn't a quitter, and they had the kind of physical and mental connection that he had been hoping for his entire life.

Kaname loved him so much that suddenly everything was possible-he felt invincible.

Needing to tell him this, he leaned forward with his legs framed around Zero, and encased him within his arms, not caring about the mess he had made on his chest or the tight space they were suddenly in. Clamping him close to him, Kaname fervently whispered his love into the silver haired beauty's ear, and felt the boy immediately melt against him.

The moment was romantic and debauched at the same time, intimate and meant only for them. It was something to be remembered for as long as their forever since vampire's lived envious _long _lives.

_-11:00 a.m., Late Breakfast-_

After a prolonged make-out session in the shower, both had washed each other's hair, still stealing kisses, unable to keep their hand off one another. Then finally stepping out of the stall into the rest of the bathroom, which looked as hazy as a jungle in the summertime, they dried themselves and dressed. Kaname went downstairs to make breakfast, but Zero stayed behind to towel dry his hair for a few minutes and found Kaname whistling as he stepped into the dimly lit kitchen. The scrambled eggs he was manipulating in the pan were still mostly liquid, so Zero felt safe sneaking up to him by attempting to hid his era without the chance that he'd turn to look for a plate.

Dressed in a sleeveless workout shirt and very baggy soccer shorts, Kaname looked more like a college student than a seemingly teenage history teacher. Zero had put on his own clothes this time-a pair of long basket ball shorts and a plain, tight fitting black beater meant to put not so innocent thoughts into his lover's head. Zero usually only wore outfit like this to bed as pajamas, too self-conscious of his figure to wear it anywhere else, but if it was for Kaname, he actually _hoped_ he got the reaction that he normally wanted to avoid in other people.

Hugging him from behind, Zero felt the slight surprise in his muscles, but he otherwise didn't react, and continued whistling. Zero held on, though, enjoying the moment, and almost didn't hear him when he commented,

"We got six inches of snow last night. Looks like I'll have to shovel the driveway." Zero peered around him at the window above the sink to their left to verify what he said. The tree outside was now heavily weighed down by snow, the wet and chunky kind that made great snowmen.

"Wow...a pureblood doing manual labor…didn't see it coming." Zero teased, earning an amused agreement form the older vampire.

Looking at the pan in front of him, the eggs were halfway done to being cooked, so Zero searched for a couple of plates in the cupboard above the muted television. "Wonder if the roads are clear by now," Zero said distractedly to himself.

"They probably are since it's already lunchtime-whoa!" Kaname suddenly exclaimed, his eyes on him now. "Where did that outfit come from?" he asked, eyeing his tight upper body and strong physique. Zero smiled over his shoulder as he retrieved the plates.

"Just something I had stuffed in my bag," he replied mysteriously, walking back to his side.

"I must say, I like what I see." Kaname complimented, watching him intensely.

"I bet I know why," he answered back, setting the plates down. Unexpectedly, the doorbell rang just as Zero brought his hand away from the expensive looking plates, and he shot a confused glance to Kaname before heading to the front door while Kaname finished the eggs.

Peering through the curtains in the front room to discover the identity of their visitor, Zero sighed upon spying a blubbering Ichiru, who frantically waved at Zero to let him inside the house. Taking his time to get to the door, he unlocked it and whipped it open. He braced himself as the slightly shorter boy launched into hysterics, hugging Zero tightly enough to make his ribs squeeze uncomfortably.

"Zeroooo-kuuun_!_" he sobbed, alerting Kaname in the kitchen as to who was at the door. Zero could just imagine him rolling his eyes as he led the identical boy into the living room.

Rolling his eyes in the kitchen, Kaname finished off the eggs and added a dash of salt to them before spooning half onto his plate. Shutting off the stove and stowing the rest of the eggs in the microwave, he ate his eggs at the kitchen table, listening from there to the suppose twin's story, which he was yelling loud enough for the next-door neighbors to hear.

"Last night... Kaito and I were supposed...to have a wonderful...romantic date, remember?" he told Zero as they sat down upon the couch in the front room, hiccupping and sobbing at every pause. Zero nodded, letting Ichiru continue. "Well...we ate at the...really nice French restaurant in Boku...and he was so...sweet," he groaned, his current tears happy, though Zero could tell that the story would obviously turn sour soon. "My mom thought...I was taking the bus home...from the meet...so she was supposed to go to work...before the bus got back...And she really was at work when Kaito and I...came home," he squeaked, and his friend slash brother tisked in sympathy, knowing what was coming.

"Kaito and I went...to my room...and-and Zero it...was so lovely...it h-hurt like you said, but...but it was wonderful...that Kaito...but...but," he started, his red and damp eyes squinting as the emotion bubbled up inside him again. "Literally _ten seconds_ after he finished...my mom walked in," he finished weakly, tears streaming down his face. Zero grimaced, and Ichiru nodded. "I've never...seen her...so angry...And she...kicked Kaito out...into the cold...without his clothes…calling him a filthy hunter! I had to fight...past my mom...to toss them to him!" he blubbered. "She...spent the next..._two hours...yelling_ at me...and I don't...know what to tell Kaito! Mom says I'm grounded until I graduate...from _college!_" he bawled, collapsing onto the couch in a little ball of what appeared to be pain.

Zero spent the next half hour calming his brother down and feeding eggs to the poor boy. He and Kaname came up with the best advice they could think of, and Ichiru went on his way back home around noon, food in his stomach and semi-solid plans in his head. Zero ended up making a sandwich for himself and finished off his English paper while Kaname trekked outside to remove the snow from the driveway. Except for two more phone calls from Ichiru, the rest of the day passed uneventfully. That night, Zero and Kaname decided to stay in and watched movies in the back room until they fell asleep on the couch, waking up with stiff necks the next morning.

Sunday was spent working on the research project, now almost seventy-five percent done, and Kaname graded the last of Thursday's tests. Zero began to notice his lustful glances that day, too. Whenever he walked by, he would follow his movements with that hungry gaze, and it made him feel warm in all the right places just knowing that he was yearning for him. Zero also felt guilty, unable to answer the silent plea in his face, nor satiate the personal desire he himself felt for him. The twinges of pain slowly receded over the next few days, but by Wednesday, neither of them had time to think of intimacy. Fall Break was coming up in a week, so tests and homework were bogging down both of them. The only thing they could get in was a brief feeding session that calmed both Zero and Kaname's hunger.

Zero was starting to receive responses from colleges, forwarded by his father, and most of them had so far accepted him.

And the date of his father's trial was approaching. The five-day weekend being given to the students would be the last time that he and Kaname might have together, and _that_ constantly needled at him, pricking him with several worries at unexpected moments.

Ichiru seemed to have mostly patched things up with his pureblood mother, who now watched his vigilantly. The infamous Kaito ended up sending letters to Kaname's penthouse, and Zero would deliver them to Ichiru at school.

The day before Fall Break was filled with restlessness, and it was obvious that all the students at the school were itching to leave.

_-Wednesday, November 25th-end of the school day-_

"Everyone, quiet down!" Kaname yelled, effectively silencing the class. There was only five minutes left in the school day, and Zero half-smirked, liking the fact that he was flustered. It was going to be their chance in quite a few days to spend time together before the date of his father's trial, and he was just as antsy to get out of there as everyone else. Looking over at Ichiru, who had been depressed ever since his mother caught him and Kaito together, Zero's smirk faded a bit, but Kaname's voice distracted him before he could catch his twin's eye.

"If you had been quiet earlier, I could have told you that you can leave, so get out of here and enjoy fall break," he announced, smiling when the class cheered and stood up to rush out of the room. Zero touched Ichiru's arm as the latter hefted his book-bag onto his shoulder.

"Come visit over the break, okay? We'll find something fun to do," Zero promised, attempting to cheer him up. Ichiru gave him a wane smile, saying that he would call him later the next day. He joined some of his other friends as they left the room, which became quieter almost instantly once the gaggle of girls left. One last person stuffed his books into his bag, flashing Zero a glance as if hoping to beat him out of the room, and left as well, leaving Zero and his teacher alone.

"I thought the day would _never_ end," Zero admitted, standing up from his seat. He brought his bag onto his shoulder, walking towards Kaname's desk as he packed away some papers into his briefcase.

"Me, too," he agreed, settling a smile on his lips. Setting his own bag on the floor next to his desk, Zero leaned his hip on the desk, watching his hands.

"So what do we want to do today?" Zero asked as Kaname zipped his leather briefcase shut with finality. Shrugging into his coat, he regarded him for a moment, and Zero found himself blushing under the scrutiny. Kaname's eyes dragged over his body, and though he had on his usual winter uniform with its long pants and snowy white shirt with the black jacket over it, he felt naked in an instant. Kaname ended the visual liaison, though, picking up his briefcase. He shakily followed suit with his brief case.

"I was thinking of going by the grocery store and picking up some ingredients for dinner. We'll use the actual dining room and the nice dishes...no boring fine China today," he joked, winking at him as they exited the classroom. He shut the classroom door and locked it. They walked to Zero's locker, talking about what they wanted to eat, and he exchanged a few books before pulling out his coat. Kaname helped him into it, subtly caressing his shoulders, which sent a pleasant chill down his body.

Both of them seemed to be dancing around their real desire for the evening's activities, but Zero loved the tension, probably as much as Kaname did.

The cold wind hit them as soon as they opened the door closest to the parking lot. Zero clung to him for the warmth he gave off, and to make sure he didn't lose his footing since the sidewalk was covered with ice. The building's maintenance workers had spread salt over it that very morning, but winter was early this year and turning out to be awful. The road crews were having a hard time keeping up, but thankfully, there was very little snow that day. As soon as they both piled into the car, which was as cold as a meat locker, he started it up, letting it warm up before turning on the heat. To make due while they waited, he held Zero close to him, feeling safe doing so since frost was caked over all of the windows. Yes, they were vampire, but vampires could get cold too. Just not as cold as a human could, though, Zero was once human. That would explained why he was so cold even though he was now a stable vampire.

"So we're definitely going to have steak?" Kaname asked, trying to think of something other than the fact that he was holding his lover.

"Most c-certainly. A slab of meat s-sounds good right now," Zero joked, snuggling closer. Kaname chuckled a bit, rubbing his back.

"Are you warm enough?" he asked, worried about the stutter in his young lover's voice. Zero hesitated in answering, at first ready to say 'yes,' but a more devilish reply popped into his head.

"My lips are c-cold," he said into his chest, raising his eyes. The smile slowly melted off of Kaname's face as if his statement had turned the freezing car into a smoldering one. Zero watched his eyes darken, a gaze that made him shiver for reasons altogether different from being cold. Kaname's breath puffed out in a fine mist because of the nip in the air, but all Zero could think was that his mouth looked incredibly warm. Without needing permission, he bent his neck, covering Zero's mouth with his own.

For a few seconds he merely suckled upon the soft, chilled lips beneath his own, enjoying the sweet taste of his cherry chopstick flavored lips. It quickly was not enough, though, for Kaname gently pulled Zero's jaw open with his free hand and swept his tongue inside the hot cavern of his mouth. An excited sound squeaked from Zero's throat, and his hands fisted in the cloth of Kaname's coat. Warmth began to spread inside his loins, which heated the rest of his body. Kaname's tongue and lips became greedier, tasting more and rubbing further. Zero began to return his kiss, sliding his tongue against his, tasting the desire the pureblood felt for him. It was when Zero felt his hand on his knee that he woke up from the hazy dream he had sunk into. Pulling his head back and breaking the trance, Zero mentioned with a tremor in his voice that they should get to the store and back home before the sun set. Kaname rubbed his hand over Zero's knee for a split second before releasing him, and Zero righted his attire as he buckled his seatbelt.

"Sorry," Kaname laughed, turning on the heat. Zero laughed with him, watching the ice melt off of the windshield. He got out for a few seconds to scrape the rear windows, but was back inside the car in a minute, and they drove off towards the local grocery chain. By the time they got home, the sun was already set, though it was hard to tell since it was overcast the entire day. The weatherman predicted a few more inches of snow that night, so Kaname parked the car in the garage. Hauling their bags of groceries and books into the kitchen, everything was piled on the breakfast table, and Zero went upstairs to change into something warmer.

Changing into jeans with a plain shirt and sweatshirt, he slipped his feet into his blue house slippers and made it back downstairs. Kaname was shrugging back into his coat, ready to go outside and fire up the grill on the back porch.

Zero was completely famished by the time he brought their steaks back inside. Zero had prepared baked potatoes and a salad, which they devoured at the dining table, laughing and joking with each other, talking about their days and about the weekend coming up. Zero wrapped up the extra steak after dinner, cleaning out the salad bowls and rinsing the dishes. Kaname dumped the rest of the charcoal into the pile of snow outside and cleaned up the grill. When he came back inside, he heard Zero moving around upstairs, freshening up, so he brought out a pack of cards. The kitchen was warmer, but he had a plan formulating and set up a poker game in the dining room.

"What's this?" Zero asked as soon as he came into the dining room.

"You're going to teach me some of those poker tricks you used on me last time," he affirmed, setting one hand on his hip. Zero squinted his eyes at him and crossed his arms.

"That's _my_ secret, Kuran _sama_...a hustler never gives away his secrets," he joked, confirming his suspicions.

"So you _were_ hustling me! Fine...I'll win by my own game...but we _are_ going to play." Zero chuckled in his confidence, pulling out a chair diagonal to the end of the table, where he sat down a few seconds later.

"Okay, so how much are we betting this time? Just ten cents a round won't empty your wallet, right?" he put his hand on the chips wheel, ready to dish out their starting amount.

"We're betting clothes," he said, sitting down with a smirk on his face. Zero looked up at him, a little startled, and his face immediately darkened to a blush.

"You mean...strip poker?" he asked, a bit nervous. Kaname nodded, dragging his gaze over him again the same way as after that afternoon's final class. "What if I get cold?" he asked, already shivering thinking of it.

"You can sit on my lap," he offered, leaning forward to hand the cards to him. Taking his hand from the chips wheel, he began to shuffle the deck.

"But you'll be able to see my cards," he thought, imagining such a position.

"Believe me...we won't be playing poker anymore if you need to come warm up on my lap," he said in a low voice. Zero felt his cheeks flame with embarrassment, but forced himself to deal out the cards. Casting surreptitious glances that checked the amount of clothes Kaname wore, Zero counted that they had the same number of articles of clothing, so he was certain that Kaname would be naked first.

"Dealer takes one." Zero checked his cards..._not good_. He had two pair, but both pairs were low in the suit, not very effective. Kaname asked for two, and Zero studied his face, but the pureblood made no reaction at all to his new cards. Kaname shifted a couple around, but that didn't mean anything.

"Ready?" Zero asked when Kaname lifted his eyes. He nodded, placing his hand down on the table. He also had two pair, both of which beat Zero's, and he put down his hand in defeat. Kaname smirked at him, and Zero pulled his sweater off, placing it on the table next to them. Dealing again, Zero took three cards this time, pulling off a full house that beat his hand. All he deigned to remove was his socks. Next came his shirt, then his undershirt, but Zero lost his pants after that.

As Zero studied him during the next round, he felt a shiver crawl up his spine, which stiffened his back as it went. He saw Kaname's jaw clench. Now knowing most of his signals, Zero knew he was stiffening as well.

When Kaname lost his pants, Zero got a good look at the bulge in his boxer briefs while he was standing up to undress. His cheeks were tinted red, but he gave no other sign that anything was amiss. After the next round, Zero hissed in defeat and removed his slippers.

"Hey, that's no fair...shirt first, little vampire." Kaname complained.

"We made no rules about what came off first...I get to take off what I want to take off," he rightly pointed out. Zero's shirt was long enough to hide his important parts, even if he were otherwise completely naked...so he knew exactly why Kaname was being so obstinate. Zero still had his shirt and boxers, though, and meant to keep them for a while.

Kaname grumbled a bit, but dealt out the next hand, which he lost. Without standing up this time, he rocked from hip to hip, sliding his gray boxer briefs off of his body. He twirled them a couple of times for his lovers benefit, earning another of his blushes, before tossing them onto the pile of clothing in the middle of the table. Zero won the next three hands, and it was quickly becoming apparent that his lover was growing impatient.

"What's the point of this game?" Zero teased as he shuffled the cards. Kaname shifted uncomfortably in his seat, and Zero was tempted to lean forward a bit to peek at the tip of his manhood, which was no doubt standing up straight enough for him to see it. However, he stayed where he was, looking at his lovers face as he shuffled the deck once more.

"The point is to get you naked, damnit..." he growled, shifting in his seat again. Dealing out the cards, Zero knew he had lost almost immediately. Zero's hand was not easily salvaged, but he picked his worst cards and traded in for three. Kaname took two, no longer able to hold much of a poker face. The triumph on his face sealed Zero's fate. Tossing down his hand, Zero had only a single pair of four's, and Kaname uncharacteristically hooted, throwing down his two pair, one of Jack's and one of Ace's. Zero mimicked him in the way that he removed his boxers, spinning them around one finger and flicking them towards their pile of clothing.

Zero won the next two hands, but Kaname was a trooper and managed to remain in his seat. The pureblood was biting his lip through the third hand, and Zero had to admit that he was squirming in his seat as well. Kaname looked so delicious when his hair was slightly mussed the way it was now, and his perfectly chiseled, swimsuit model chest beckoned for his hands to touch it.

"Dealer takes three," Zero announced, studying him even as he himself studied his own cards. It was a decent hand-three-of-a-kind of a royal card. Zero heard him smack down his hand, and looked to see what the cards had given him. He realized with a gasp that he was thoroughly beaten. A royal flush in spades easily beat his hand.

"The odds of this..." Zero moaned, wondering how Kaname managed to pull off such a great winning hand.

"The shirt, Zero," he said, looking at him expectantly. Hearing the serious tone in his voice, Zero looked at his face, which mirrored his mood.

It had been what had felt like forever. They had been so tired every night that neither had been able to do much more than mumble good night before falling into a dead sleep. Zero's practices at the covered field across town would keep him until past dinner, and then once he had eaten and finished off his homework, it was bedtime, so he would be exhausted. Kaname was busy preparing exams and grading the projects that had been due that month. He would workout (yes, the pureblood works out because it's in his vampirism nature to be physically active) in the basement and make dinner for his lover, but then go right back to grading and preparing, falling asleep next to him once he finally came to bed.

Zero felt his heart jump and flutter inside his chest, but stood up, watching Kaname's face as long as he could before the shirt blocked his eyes. He let the shirt fall from his fingers, feeling strange for being naked in the dining room, (good thing the nobles were visiting their own families) which was visible from the front door at a certain angle. The front door was locked, and there was no window in it, nor any chance of anyone stopping by, but it still felt strange…and cold. Zero jerked in reaction to a full-body shiver, and felt goose-bumps rise on his flesh. Yet Kaname still stared at him, lips parted as he contemplated the planes of his lover's body. Zero's eyes could see part of Kaname's lap, the growth of hair that nestled around his manhood, but his arm blocked anything else. Zero looked into his eyes again, so intent and serious...watching him. When Zero thought he might scream at him, Kaname slowly rose from the chair, keeping eye contact with him and moving forward as if trying to catch a frightened rabbit.

"Kana..." he quietly said, prompting a flurry of motion. Kaname snatched Zero's up into his arms, bringing his feet off of the floor. His mouth found his and commanded him to wrap his legs around him before his tongue dived in. He invaded every part of Zero's mouth, licking and tasting every surface, which still held the mint from his toothpaste. Zero secured his arms around his shoulders and brought his thighs around his hips, clenching them to hold himself up. Zero felt him walk a short distance, and eventually his rear end met the mahogany table, cool to the touch. He let his legs loosen a bit, and gasped into his mouth when Kaname's hand squirmed between them, finding the thickness between his legs and running his fingers along the length of it until his thumb caressed to leaking tip that elected a surge of pleasure to shoot through his body.

"Oh, God," he rasped out, finding it difficult to even get a breath in between his lovers probing kisses. Kaname's erection poked his abdomen, and his body was extremely warm. Zero clung to his shoulders even as his free hand fondled his nipples, tweaking the peaks that were already pert from the cool air.

"I can't get enough of you," he grumbled against his cheek before taking his lips again. Zero was so tempting and inviting, ready to receive him again...and he sorely desired him. Kaname had been half-stiff the entire day just thinking about the many ways he could take him that night. Getting through dinner was difficult enough, despite the great conversation that should have distracted him, but actually made him even more aware of him. He had him now, though...and if Zero was finally ready, he could have him all night.

Zero's skin was sizzling. Everything he touched felt sensitive, and he wanted nothing more than to lay back on the table and let his lover take him. Both were breathing harshly, writhing against each other in an effort to feel more and go faster. Zero thought he might die with happiness when he felt Kaname fist his cock and lined up the tip of his arousal with his body. Zero looked down, wanting to watch him enter his body, and gasped, grasping him before he could go any farther.

"What?" he gruffly asked, hissing because Zero grip was a bit too tight.

"You forgot...lubrication," he panted, looking at him as if he'd strangle him if he didn't hurry up.

"Damnit," he cursed, unhooking Zero's arms from his shoulders. He left him with a quick kiss, running naked up the stairs in vampire speed to secure a contraceptive. Zero took the opportunity to catch his breath, but his body began to cool down very quickly without his lover there to warm him up, and another full-body shiver caught him unawares. Hearing him coming back down the stairs, he turned to watch him re-enter the room, and he paused at the doorway.

"...Damn," he breathed, looking at the image of his lover sitting on the table. His skin was a beautiful contrast to the dark wallpaper and mahogany furniture, and the small chandelier above him cast a glow to his body. He stifled a low grunt in his throat, feeling his arousal harden even more. Stalking his way around the table with his hand fisted around the bottle, he stepped between his partners waiting thighs, pulling his toned body close.

"Can I rub it on?" Zero asked quietly, his fingers touching his fist. Kaname choked down another groan, handing him the small blue bottle. Zero carefully squeezed out the desired amount into his palm. "Wow, it's...slippery," he commented, rubbing his fingers together over the lubrication. Looking down, he steadied Kaname's member with one hand and began coating the tip first.

"Make sure you get it all wet," he instructed, swelling under the inspection. Zero adjusted his hand, fisting the member in his hand while giving it a few pumps. Kaname's head lolled backward, and he grunted at the ceiling due to the tension.

"Kana," he breathed, sitting closer to the edge. Kaname brought his face forward again, hooking his hands under his knees and inching him to the edge of the table.

"Lay back." he immediately complied, audibly reacting to the cool temperature of the wood. One of his hands left his leg, but Zero held it still, breathing deeply when the head of his phallus nudged between his gluteus cheeks to his twitching hole. The hand returned, and Kaname began to slowly push his way inside his body. His hands held Zero's legs wide, so he held his arms close to his chest, biting on his lower lip at the intense pleasure from the friction that Kaname's body created with his.

"Are you okay?" he hoarsely asked, seeing the grimace on his face.

"It's...so _good_, Kana..." he sighed shakily, opening his eyes to look at him. Kaname breathed a mental sigh of relief, plunging farther into him. A cry of pleasure met his ears, and he went deeper, listening to every excited noise Zero made. Kaname released his knees from his grip, leaning over the table and planting his hands on either side of his younger's torso. Zero's hands laced themselves behind Kaname's neck, and the pureblood widened his stance, achieving a more direct angle to his prostates. Pulling out, he quickly pumped back inside, loudly groaning at the feel of his clamping passageway.

"Kaaanaa!" he choked out, eyes scrunching up. He drove in and out, finding that one wonderful button and hitting it every time. Kaname's shaft filled him just right, pulling at the walls of his body and creating heat and pleasure, sucking away his strength. All Zero had left in him to do was roll his hips in time with his and hold his knees in position.

"You're doing so good...just right," Kaname moaned, thrusting faster. Zero was squeezing him almost exactly the way he should. Zero was a little off, but it wasn't enough to make much of a difference, and it was a lot better than anyone else had done with him. His reaction was the one thing that made Kaname burn the most. Zero sighed and gasped, groaned and hissed. Those simple sounds sizzled along his length, which continued to penetrate deep inside him.

"I...didn't know...that it could be so _good!_" Zero cried out, clamping him harder. Kaname looked down at him, the flush in his cheeks, the way his silver hair fanned out around his face. Zero's head moved with his as he rocked into his body, and when he opened his eyes to look up at him, the lust in his gaze made Kaname's heart swell. Both couldn't hold the eye contact for long, though. The feelings were too much, and their eyes shut of their own accord.

"Ah, God...take me, Zero...take all of it!" he grunted, thrusting hard now. Zero gasped once, twice...breathing fast and shallow as the warmth grew exponentially.

"Uhhhnn, so good! Yes..._yes!_ Oh, God, _yes!_" Zero rasped out, taking one long, high gasp as his climax hit him. His head swam, and he felt close to fainting. It was like being on a roller coaster. The sweat and heat combined with Kaname's voice, his touch... This orgasm was the best so far, ripping through his loins and making is entire body jerk and convulse beneath him. Zero's voice came out high and breathless now, moaning as his peak lengthened by the continued thrusting of his older lover's hips. "Uhhhh...Kaname..." he relaxed, letting his fingers slide apart. Zero's hands dropped to his stomach, and he felt Kaname's member still thrusting inside of him, going slowly and smoothly. "Mmm...never stop," he breathed, placing his hand above his head as he began to drawn in the pleasure once more.

"I won't. I'll make you come all night." His voice was gravelly and soft, sensually mimicking the promise he just made. Opening his eyes, he looked down at the young man beneath him, who held him just right in his tight, slick chamber. The next had to be this very minute. He had to see it this time. "Right now...come for me again, love," he cajoled, using an endearment that always made Zero's stomach flip. He began once more, going fast and rubbing the right spot with his thumb. Kaname's member beat in and out of him quickly enough to make the same wet noise that he remembered from before, and now, pleasure and heat swam inside his veins. Zero opened his eyes, disbelieving it, but another orgasm was coming already, filtering up his thighs. His lower back stiffened again, and his abdomen jerked. Zero's mouth fell open, eyes shutting themselves automatically, and he silently lived through another climax since his voice was no longer working. When he needed to breathe air again, it came in a loud gasp that ended in a short, shaky release.

"Uhhhhnn..."Zero breathed, enjoying the aftershocks as Kaname moved inside him still. Only a few seconds passed, though, before he withdrew. Zero stretched a bit on the table, surprised to realize that the spot beneath his back was wet with his perspiration. He opened his eyes, finding his beloved pureblood waiting for him to sit up, and Zero held out a hand, which he took. Pulling him to his original position, Kaname greeted him with a kiss, finding the mint in his mouth once again.

"Hold onto me," Kaname breathed against his mouth. Zero tightened his thighs around his waist, feeling his arms lock firmly about his waist. He hefted Zero up, carrying him towards the stairs.

"Zero." he sighed with pleasure, knowing what would happen next. "_This is going to be a long night."_

**Omg Kaname you dog! XD. It seems like Kaname has a lot planed for our Zero-rin. What a creepy summary also O.0' who the heck is this stranger that likes little boys anyways? He's a creep, that's who he is! Run Zero-kun! Kaname-sama, protect what's yours!**

**O-my O-my! What this? Zero can finally take Kaname's size and actually enjoy it? *faints***

**R&R? Heck you can even B**** to me about how long it took to update.**

**^stallion14^**


	12. The creeper say's fun time's never last

**A/N: Thanks for all who review, favored and alerted my story! :D R&R**

**Summary: ****He stood only a few feet from the doorway, his body leaning heavily on a set of lockers. Both hands were fisted in anger, hot tears streaming down his face.**

**"That slut...that-little slut," he furiously whispered. Pushing off the wall, he quietly walked away, altering his plans inside his head. "**_**He's going to pay for throwing his virginity away...that fucking slut will pay!"**_

**Chapter: The creeper says the fun times never last **

_-10:00am, Thursday-_

It was a quiet Thursday morning, the day of Thanksgiving. White flakes settled softly on old snow from the day before, covering up the dirtied snow kicked up from the streets and any old footprints left by people who had walked their dogs that morning. Most people were with their families, (including the noble class of vampires that lived with the pureblood), digging into the first few dishes of fattening food.

Some, however, were alone. Mr. Kiryu, attorney-at-law, had his own trial coming up next Tuesday to decide whether he was safe for his own son to be around. He keenly felt his son's absence that day, and was sorely tempted to drink any liquor in the house until he passed out, but there was no liquor in the house-not anymore. He had stopped drinking the day they took his precious son away, the housekeeper, plus his son's mysterious dog.

Zero was staying with a teacher now. He called him every weekend and on holidays, and told him of all the track meets he had attended-he only wished he was allowed to see his son winning those tournaments.

It was strange to recall how deluded he had been right before the social worker took his son away. His therapist, able to stand back and look at the big picture, was able to tell him everything that his mind had twisted around...it was no wonder that Zero asked for outside help. He was so hung up on his dead wife that he didn't see how much his two sons needed him.

He wasn't the only one who had lost someone.

Knowing that Zero liked to sleep in on holidays rather than get up early, he waited for his phone call, enjoying a televised Thanksgiving Day parade and the lunch that his housekeeper had prepared the night before.

_-Elsewhere-_

There was nowhere fun to go to today, and he couldn't see his delicious boy's, either, not even a peek, someone would surely notice with all those family members there. It was peculiar and angering to him, though...he _had_ been keeping tabs on most of them, but one wasn't where he was supposed to be. He hadn't seen him from the pureblood's window in so long, not even a graceful hand or a delicate shoulder. The boy was still at school, though, running in those beautiful track shorts that clung to his lovely hind end and rode up his thighs. "_I most definitely have to find out where he has been..."_

_-The penthouse-_

From the street, the only thing a passerby could hear was the background noise from cars on the main road a few blocks away and the muted buzz of furnaces that kept the bellies of homes warm. From just inside the front door, the _tick-tock_ of the wall clock in the front room greeted one's ears...and something like the noise from a television, but it wasn't clear. Heading up the stairs, the noise became clearer, becoming two voices. The weak light of an overcast day shone through the windows at the top of the stairs, but there weren't any lights on, and the hallway was very dim. Moving along the upstairs hallway towards the room on the end, the noise became clearer, becoming the voices of what sounded like two growling and demonic dogs, both harshly breathing and moaning loudly. Inside the room, the scene on the bed was the source.

Zero breathlessly moaned, his hands braced on Kaname's stomach. The pureblood was on his back, eyes halfway open and misty as he watched his young lover above him, grinding his pelvis against him. He held Zero's gorgeous hips in his hands, his knees slightly bent and about a foot apart. Looking down at the base of his torso, Kaname's eyes took in the sight of his stiff and throbbing erection as it went in and out of his lover's body. Zero was so wet at this point that his limb was glistening from it and Kaname couldn't help but notice that the insides of his loves thighs looked a bit red.

"Hhnnnhh!" Kaname grunted, squeezing his eyes shut and repressing an orgasm quickly vibrating up his thighs. Since he had broken out in a sweat several times already, his coffee colored hair was matted to his forehead. The sheets felt damp and hot beneath him, and his lungs were burning for oxygen. He opened his eyes again, having pushed back his climax for a bit longer, and watched his lovers face, the light pink blush that dusted his cheeks, his glossy eyes, and the pleasured expression he didn't try to hide.

Zero released a broken sob, biting on his lower lip. His thighs were chafed and his legs were so tired, but he only wanted more. It just felt good, and he wished it could last forever. A drop of perspiration rolled down the line of his back from the nape of his neck, his skin shimmering with moisture. Zero tightened himself around him, trying to hasten the pace.

"_Gehhh!_" Kaname turned his head to the side, his eyes closing again. If Zero kept ridding him like this, he wouldn't be able to hold himself back much longer.

"Cuming…Kana _ohh__!_" he cried out, his back arching. Zero froze, a silent cry of pleasure on his face, but Kaname braced his heels and bucked up into him, thrusting through the hot, clamping muscles. "_Uhhhh_hhh..." Zero groaned, his shoulders drooping. His elbows shook and then gave, his body collapsing on top of Kaname. Still, his older lover kept thrusting into him, waiting for something.

"N-no more!" Zero moaned, his back arching upwards. "_Oh, God! I can't stand it again!_" He beat his hips against Zero, pulling him into each of his thrusts. Zero gasped, a weak moan escaping his throat, and another smaller orgasm traveled through his sexual muscles, making him jerk against him.

Kaname's hips surged upwards, bringing his backside off of the bed, and his jaw clenched as he finally let himself go, his inner fluids bursting from the tip of his phallus.

Kaname growled a long and drawly sound at the ceiling, his stomach involuntarily convulsing as he filled the reserve in the contraceptive. The blood rushing through his brain was giving him a headache, but his lower body was humming with release. Their chest was pressed tightly against each other, and Kaname could feel the rapid flutter of his heart against him.

Zero was exhausted, having lost count of the number of orgasms he had. Kaname seemed to enjoy giving him several of them every time they started again, and it had worn him out completely.

Still breathing hard, Kaname relaxed his legs slowly, waiting until he softened to bring his hips and knees down. His member slid from the soaked hole of his lover, and Zero whimpered slightly, knowing that he was going to be very sore after this.

It had only been around 8:00 pm that they went up to the bedroom last night. After having such great sex on the dining room table, he had carried his lover upstairs, and took him again. This time, Zero was bent over the bed in the same position as a nighttime prayer, but they certainly weren't praying for the next ten minutes. Later, while Zero was cleaning himself up in the bathroom, Kaname had dumped the empty bottles of lube on the bed, counting how many were used.

Though they slept intermittently for three to four hours at a time, the rest of the time between then and now had been spent having sex-Zero didn't think anyone could keep going that long, but it was more that they could keep going as long as they had breaks. Zero was thankful for the breaks, though, or else he never would have caught his breath. They had tried almost every position they could think of. Zero preferred being on top of Kaname, though being on all fours came in as a close second.

Zero could tell that Kaname liked pretty much everything. He even told Zero that he fantasized about the younger taking him one day. Zero felt a little nervous about that but he was sure that with some encouragement he would be able to pull it off.

Zero knew by the number of empty bottles of lube they had used how many times Kaname had orgasm, but he had lost track of his own, especially when counting those times when they did it orally.

"Are we done?" Zero sighed, still panting. "I think you've managed to turn my insides into mush," he joked, smiling against his lovers shoulder.

"Yeah...I doubt I can live through it again so soon, anyway," he answered, a bit breathless. "Twice, I felt like I might have a heart-attack."

"Well it's a good thing vampires _can't_ have one-then I won't be able to get such great sex anymore," he petulantly commented.

"Yeah, I was pretty great, wasn't I?" the pureblood gloated. Zero rolled his eyes, practically hearing him smile. He might have agreed affectionately and nuzzled against Kaname in sexual bliss, but he couldn't help but deflate his ego.

"Eh...I did most of the work this time," he pointed out, suppressing a smile when Kaname didn't respond for a couple of seconds.

Kaname's hands swept down Zero's back, firmly gripping his rear end, making the boys lips fall ajar. Kaname turned his head slightly, bringing his cheek in contact with Zero's left temple.

"I didn't hear any complaints when I was taking you on your back...or on your hands and knees for that matter," he said in a low, husky voice. "In fact, all I remember hearing was those sexy moans."

Zero almost shuddered against him, feeling very much desired, and the only thing keeping him from asking for it again was the prevention of further chafing.

"Okay...so you were pretty great," Zero admitted, cuddling close. Kaname kissed his temple, making him feel a wash of love spreading inside his belly. Though Zero was very tired, he otherwise felt very good. "_And it's even a holiday..."_

The word 'holiday' was what reminded him, and he lifted his head.

"Do you want to shower first or second?" he asked, kissing his older lover's chin. Kaname twisted his lips slightly as he thought, claiming the shower first after a moment of silence. Zero rolled off of him, internally grimacing when he felt how stiff his thigh muscles were, especially those in the backs of his legs. Watching him rise from the bed, Zero admired his rear end and the clean lines of his waist.

Zero waited until he heard the shower running to ease his body to the edge of the bed, still feeling sore and damp. His hand reached for the phone on the nightstand, and his eyes noticed that only one bottle of lubricant remained on the surface of the bedside table, the others empty, and dumped in a small lined trashcan between the bed and the nightstand. Picking up the handset, he punched in the seven digits to his father's house, and only had to wait two rings before a familiar voice picked up the phone.

_"Hello?"_

"Hey...it's me," he said, ignoring his state of undress.

_"Hey, my son! ...How was school this week?" he asked, sounding like he was sitting back down._

"It went well. I have this paper to finish for next week, but I've written the outline for it already, so it should go by quick."

_"That's just like you…*Sigh*… Zero. So, what's the paper about_?_"_

"It's an anatomy paper about scientist who shaped world history. Everyone in class has to write about one of the famous scientists so I picked Francis Crick."

_"I see... Will you let me read it sometime?" he asked, and Zero heard the background noise suddenly disappear, as if he either muted the TV or shut it off._

"Sure. How's your Thanksgiving so far? Are the boys from the association keeping you company?"

_"Yeah, Larry, Curly, and Moe," he joked, getting a laugh out of his son. "The youngest one very vocally misses you."_

"...He'll see me soon, I'm sure."

_"...I miss you, son."_

"Me, too, father," he answered, smiling to himself. His father had been improving so much lately. Zero knew he would be able to bring him home after the trial, and though it broke his heart to leave Kaname, having his father back was enough to mend it again...he hoped.

_"Can I ask you a favor?"_ he said, piquing Zero's interest.

"If I can..."

_"Will you call me 'dad'?"_ Zero didn't say anything for a couple of seconds, his eyes moistening. It took a couple of swallows and a deep breath before he could answer.

"Okay, dad," he answered, his voice a little wobbly.

_"Are you okay, son? You sound a little upset."_

"I'm fine, dad…perfectly fine."

_-Half an Hour Later-_

Having grown cold after a few minutes, Zero pulled the sheet across his torso, but was just hanging up the phone when Kaname came back into the room, clean and mostly dry. A large, blue towel was wrapped around his hips, and he took a deep breath, closing his eyes. Zero watched him with an amused smile for a couple of seconds, waiting for something brazen to come out of his mouth.

"It still smells like sex in this room," Kaname sighed, opening his eyes again to look at him. Zero smiled prettily, not moving from where he sat.

"I'm assuming that the shower is free?" he asked, letting the sheet slip just a little. Kaname's eyes seemed to follow the movement, but he otherwise didn't react. "_Darn..."_

"Yeah, go ahead. I'm going to see about starting the turkey after I get dressed," he said, walking to his dresser. He seemed to be unaffected by Zero's attempt to coax him into paying attention to him, so he gave up, suddenly wanting the shower really badly.

"Can't wait," he smiled, standing up and dropping the sheet back onto the bed. "I'm starving for some tryptophan!" he walked to the bedroom door, headed to the bathroom. His thighs were definitely sore, and he felt every twinge with every step. It really did feel like something inside of him was bruised, but it was somehow a wonderful ache like the ache he felt in his legs after a good track meet.

As Zero neared the bedroom doorway, he jumped and gasped with happy surprise as a solid set of arms pulled him close to a warm, clean, male-scented body.

"God...you make it difficult not to just stay in bed all day," Kaname gruffly breathed next to his ear. He nuzzled close, his left hand roaming over the other's skin.

"...And I think I might eat your arm if I don't get some food," Zero joked, laughing as Kaname's hand passed over a ticklish area. Zero could tell he was smiling and curved closer to him.

"Okay then...we'll have to save that one. Off you go!" He abruptly released his younger lover, smacking his bare hind end, and Zero yelped a bit, duly galvanized to take a fast shower. His stomach was grumbling, and he realized that he suddenly needed to answer nature's call. Kaname watched him wonder towards the bathroom, his posture beckoning him, and he fisted his hands. His halfway hard member was slowly calming down, and he wondered to himself if he would ever be able to control himself around Zero. The thought made him smirk, but a sudden chill ran over his skin like a splash of icy water.

"...I don't want him to leave..."

_-2:00pm-_

"Stop eating the cheese and crackers or you won't be able to fit in any turkey!" Kaname admonished, poking Zero's side as he scurried away with more finger food.

"But I've been hungry for three hours! This is just to settle my stomach..." he pouted, sitting at the kitchen table.

"You've had half a block of Colby and almost a whole row of club crackers! That's a crappy but full meal, and you'll ruin your dinner." He turned back to check the turkey in the tinted oven window, trying to suppress his stomach's own rumblings.

Kaname wished he could have brought his mother down from her royal pedestal to celebrate Thanksgiving with her, but she unfortunately had to settle a blood dispute with the king…his father. The next time she had any days off would be the two days before Christmas.

"Heh...after the exercise I had last night, it'd take more than some cheese and crackers to fill me up," he joked, popping in another chunk of Colby.

"Ha-ha," Kaname rejoined sarcastically, looking over his shoulder. Then changing topics, "...I think a ten-pound turkey might've been too much for two people, though," he mused, checking at his watch.

"It's too much for four people! I told you that at the store... you should've just bought a little chicken or something," Zero said, coming up behind him to gaze longingly at the roasting turkey.

"Chicken on Thanksgiving?" he said, sounding mildly scandalized. "Our forefathers would turn over in their graves," he drawled out, reaching behind to pinch his thigh. Zero squealed backing up.

"Ooof! But I'm so hungry!" he complained, hanging onto his back again.

"Whine, whine...another twenty minutes and it will be done," Kaname cajoled. "You can start eating some of the corn and mashed potatoes if you want," he offered.

"But it tastes better to dip the turkey in the mashed potatoes and then dip that into the corn."

"Oh, so you're one of those eaters, huh? You like to make the perfect bite?"

"You better believe it!"

"All that's left is cheese and crackers then. Can you hold out twenty more minutes?" he finally turned around, looking down at the handsomely dressed young man in front of him.

"I dunno. My stomach feels like it has shrunk to the size of a thimble." he reached up to gently take hold of Kaname's shirt, a soft, white shirt that outlined all the wonderful lines in his upper body. He wore his best black dress slacks, but he only wore a pair of black socks to keep his feet warm, and the shirt had two buttons undone, as if he were a groom about to ravish his new wife.

It was obvious that Zero either wanted a hug or a kiss, or both, so Kaname gladly complied, wrapping his arms around his waist.

"You can eat me then," he lewdly suggested, pulling Zero close against him.

"I just might," he answered, fitting his mouth to his lovers. Zero tasted of Colby cheese, of course, but the natural sweetness of his mouth couldn't be covered up, and Kaname did his best to distract him for the next few minutes as he overwhelmed his taste buds with Zero's flavor.

Too soon, a loud growl from his stomach broke up the budding intimacy, and Zero laughed against his mouth. Their arms loosened, and Kaname looked down at him with an apology in his eyes.

"I'll get the plates then," Zero said, tickling Kaname's noisy stomach. He walked off to the cupboards on the other side of the kitchen, and Kaname looked down at his offensive tummy, whispering,

"Traitor..."

_-5:00pm, Kiryu Residence-_

"_Can you believe it? This food dehydrator is just working miracles!_"

All he wanted when he got 260 channels was to find one that always had something good on, but not today-nothing good was on during a holiday. Mr. Kiryu settled for an infomercial, and was about to change the channel when the phone rang. Hoping that it was his precious son, he muted the TV and jogged to the phone, finding it easier to do now that he was on the bandwagon.

"Hello?" he answered, waiting to hear his sweet little voice.

_"Uhh...is Zero there?"_ a male voice asked. It sounded like a younger voice, and he wondered if it was a classmate.

"Who is this, if I may ask?" Ready to take a message for Zero, he picked up a pen on the side table.

_"It's a friend from his track team...I'm in a bind for this assignment from, uhh, class, and I wanted to ask him about it-the thing is due on Monday, you see..."_ he explained, sounding nervous.

"Oh...well, Zero isn't here at the moment...is it really urgent that you speak to him?" he said, looking at the phone number of the teacher's house.

_"He's the only person I know from that class, so...yeah, I guess it is urgent."_

"Okay...well, he's staying with someone else for a bit-y-you know, for the holidays," he lied, knowing that most of his son's friends knew nothing about their situation. Zero had warned him against telling anyone since last time he had spilled the beans to some girl named Yukino. "I can give you the number for where he's staying."

_"Oh, man, that'd be great, thanks."_

"It's 011+81+3+986-8600

_"Okay, I got it. Thanks, sir and Happy Thanksgiving."_

"You, too, young man. Good luck."

_"Goodbye."_

"Bye now."

Mr. Kiryu hung up the phone, wondering if he had handled that right, but he shrugged it off since there was no way to undo any damage now. He'd have to take his son's wrath if it blew up in his face. Sitting back down, he saw that the infomercial had just ended, but that a movie he liked was coming on, so he put up his footrest and leaned back to enjoy.

_-Friday, Lunchtime-_

Though Kaname had been sorely tempted to make use of their last bottle of lubricant the night before, he had seen several instances the day before that Zero had made love too many times-a wince when he sat down to watch a movie or the uneasy shifting as he adjusted his position near the middle of the movie...his long shower that night and the little spots of blood on one of his towels. So Kaname pulled him close that night, and they both fell asleep, having succumbed to the tryptophan at last.

Now, Kaname sat at the kitchen table since the warmest area of the house now was near the oven where some cookies were baking. Zero was listening for the timer as he typed away at his laptop, which sat on the kitchen table across from Kaname, who was updating his grade book with the papers and homework he had finally finished grading that morning.

They had both been quiet for a good hour and a half, with Zero getting up once in a while to take out cookies and put new balls of dough into the oven. He paused every so often in his writing, and Kaname knew he was working on a paper for his own class-the paper on a famous scientist. Kaname was tempted to take a break, seeing that it was almost lunchtime, and looked up from his grade book, half-completed with the new entries. He saw Zero's eyes scanning something on his monitor, a pensive look on his face. Zero tapped a few keys, and then made some sort of change, before noticing his gaze.

"What's up?" he asked, sending him a tight-lipped smile.

"Just noticing your breath-taking beauty as you ponder the greatest scientist of time," he joked, having already prodded that much out of him. Zero gave him an airy chuckle, tapping a few more keys as if saving his work so far. The timer dinged right on cue, and he stood up to take the next batch of cookies out of the oven.

"How many more of those are you making? That's got to be at least fifty cookies sitting on those trivets," he said. His eyes followed Zero as he opened the oven door, letting out a small wave of heat.

"This is the last set, actually. I ran out of dough," Zero pouted, setting the pan onto the stove. He reached to turn off the oven, and decided to leave the door open to let out the heat.

"Sorry it isn't warmer in here. The furnace is set to seventy-five, but I think the vents need some professional cleaning."

"It's okay-if it were a sauna in here, I wouldn't get to wear my winter sweaters," he joked, flipping cookies onto an already over-loading trivet.

"Who are those cookies for, anyway?" Kaname asked, imagining that he actually wanted him to somehow eat all of those cookies. Zero threw a short glance over his shoulder before turning back to the pan.

"I'm going to put half of them in a sealed bag for Monday-to give to my dad," he said, transferring more cookies from the pan. Kaname felt the wind go out of his sails, and his shoulders drooped.

Zero swallowed, looking at the last cookie as he set it on top of the already enormous pile. A chair scraped behind him, and he felt his eyes sting. The moisture began to gather when Kaname's arms gently slid around him, and his vision blurred a bit.

"What are we going to do?" Zero whispered, placing his chilled hands on his lover's forearms. "I want my dad back, but...I don't want to leave you," he choked, a tear falling down his cheek.

"Shhh...I'll see you at school, and we'll find a way to spend time together there. I'll be glad to take you out on more dates. I haven't been able to find the time lately because we're both so busy, but over winter break..." he trailed off. His lips nuzzled the side of his neck, and he continued in a strained voice, "Ah, God, Zero. I don't know, either...I don't want you to leave me," he hoarsely admitted, holding him so tightly that Zero felt his ribs creak.

Zero made to turn around, and his arms loosened, only to tighten again as he pulled the younger to him, taking his lips in a feverish kiss. Kaname felt Zero's arms come around his neck, and brought him off of the floor. Zero reveled in the warmth of his body and the intense feelings that fueled his kiss. All of his previous kisses had been sensual, or erotic, or passionate...this kiss became tender. Every ounce of his love showed-in the way Kaname held him or the gentle but insistent press of his lips. Zero melted from the inside, but more tears silently spilled from his closed eyes.

Both enjoyed the long moment for what it was-the first of many goodbye kisses that they would share over the next few days. Though it wasn't completely certain that the judge would allow Mr. Kiryu to once again care for Zero, his obvious reformation was significantly and unavoidably on his side. Kaname selfishly wanted that his father never recover, but he also wanted Zero to have his father's love again, and deep inside, a horrible part of him resented that his love was not enough for him. He knew, though, that his love could never replace the love of a parent.

"_I...can't keep him."_

_-Saturday, Lunchtime-_

"Ah! Finally done! It's a masterpiece," Zero declared, tapping some keys to save his paper. Kaname looked up from a book he was reading, having finished all of his work for the weekend.

"Want me to read it? Like a rough draft review from a teacher?" he offered, having had only one other student bring in a rough outline before the long weekend.

"Nope! It's perfect the way it is," he grinned, shutting his laptop. Kaname set his chin in his hand, smirking. Today, Zero was absolutely breathtaking, though, he always was through Kaname's eyes.

"I see. So do you want to start work on the concluding remarks for the SlJ project? The principal wanted to see a completed rough draft by the end of the quarter," he suggested, closing his book. Zero mocked a faint, obviously wanting to do something else. "Aw, come on. We wrote the outline for it-all we need is the quotes you marked in that library book and about two hours. We'll be done by at least dinnertime, and we can celebrate by eating out in Clark. How does steak sound?" Kaname cajoled, lifting one eyebrow. Zero's back became ramrod straight so quickly that it was as if he were a jack-in-the-box.

"Oh, no! I left that book in my locker at school!" he gasped, truly dismayed since he really was going to work on the conclusion. "Man, and this weekend was the only time I had left!" he moaned, melting down to the table again. Kaname checked his watch, thinking silently to himself for a few seconds.

"Hm...it's Saturday, not yet one o'clock...so Duran should be there," he said, standing up. Zero looked up at him from the tabletop, the purebloods chin resting on his laptop.

"Who?" he asked.

"Duran, the head custodian at the high school. He told me that he and some of the other building workers were re-waxing the first two floors all day today and tomorrow. We can probably ask to grab your book if I come with you," he said, bringing him out of his chair.

"But...won't it be weird if a teacher brings a student to school to get a textbook on a holiday weekend?" he asked, worried about getting the janitor suspicious, however stupid it sounded.

"Duran wouldn't care if I brought a ring of drug pushers there," he joked. "He let Mrs. Yamamoto have a party in the teachers' lounge a few weekends ago while the principal was overseas. She couldn't find a space open in town for her niece's wedding reception, so they held it at the school. The principal, God help him, is kind of oblivious to a lot of things," he admitted, walking Zero to the front door where their coats hung.

"I see," he said as she shrugged into his coat. "Do we need to stop by the store for anything?" he added, buttoning his coat as he walked towards his snow boots. Kaname didn't hesitate to answer, but he felt a small surge in his stomach at the thought that his trips to the store would soon only require food for one person-not two. Besides, the nobles were still going to be at the respective parents houses.

"No, I went to the store yesterday-where do you think the new gallon of milk in the fridge came from?" he said, smiling at him. Zero rolled his eyes as if mentally smacking himself on the forehead, and gingerly stepped into his boots. Leaning down to tug them on, he heard Kaname pull on his black trench coat-it made him look like a secret service agent or a bad-ass mysterious vampire…Which…actually, he was.

"Well, that makes a lot of sense," Zero said, tugging up his other boot. His raven black boots reached all the way up to the middle of his calf, and were clipped with a buckles and snaps that made them look like something off of a underworld movie. Zero's father had sent them over with that month's check, and his note said that he wasn't sure if his winter boots from last year would still fit him. Hence-new boots. Zero was also excited because they were the same boots the hunters at the association wore. By the time he leaned back up, Zero saw Kaname walking up the stairs, and asked him if he forgot something.

"I think I left my wallet on the dresser...be right back," he called, turning the corner at the top of the stairs. Zero stood there for a few seconds, simply waiting, and then felt like he should smooth his coat and skirt. Zero noticed that his dark gray scarf still hung on the coat rack, and pulled it into his hands. Kaname came back downstairs then, waving his wallet for his benefit before sliding it into his coat pocket.

"Ready to go, Kuran sama?" he asked. When Kaname was within a couple feet of him, Zero handed the scarf to him, and he wrapped it around his neck, tucking the ends into his coat.

"I think so, Kiyru san." Grabbing his car keys from the table next to the coat rack, he opened the door for his young lover and they locked the house before getting into the car.

_-1:10pm, Kross High School-_

There were only a couple cars in the parking lot where normally it was difficult to find a space. Kaname felt it safe enough to hold his lover's hand as they trudged up the newly salted sidewalks to the side door of the school, where most of the staff entered. Though both of them wore gloves, he could feel the warmth of Zero's hand all the same.

"What if they can't hear us knocking?" he asked as they came within a foot of the door.

"There's a doorbell behind the corner, actually. They can hear that in the custodian's office. We just have to hope that someone is _in_ the office." His mouth became a silent 'o,' and he watched as Kaname reached around the brick edging to press a button in the wall. They only had to wait a couple seconds before the head of an old man peeked around the corner of the hallway. Kaname smiled, waving. The pureblood's sincerity was genuine. The old man walked faster than what Zero suspected was normal for him, a smile on his face. The man was obviously half-chewing something, and Zero wondered if they interrupted his lunch hour.

"Hey, Kuran sama! Didn't expect to see you here this mornin'!" he called, opening the doors for them. He gave Zero a cursory but not unpleasant glance before looking to Kaname again.

"Yeah, seems that a certain student forgot a book in his locker, and he asked me what to do, but I also had forgotten something in my classroom, so I offered to bring him to get it," he easily explained, having mixed in a lie with the truth. Zero was a little unnerved by the ease with which he fibbed and looked at him askance.

"Oh, I see, I see. Where's your locker, young man?" Duran asked, having swallowed whatever was in his mouth.

"Third floor, west end of the building," he said, a little uneasy.

"You're in luck then! We're not waxing the third floor this weekend, and since Kuran sama is-it's room 209, right? That's the west side of second, so just be sure to stay on the east side of the first floor to get up the stairs to the second. That side is dry now, but don't walk on the west end of the first-we're still stripping off the old wax, and the liquid we left on is real slippery."

Kaname nodded, stomping his feet on the rug next to the door to remove the snow that had caked onto the tip. Zero did the same, feeling a bit awkward.

"Just come out the way you came-I'm almost done eating my lunch so you might not see me on your way back. Be sure to shut this door behind you," he said, gesturing towards the entrance they had just used.

"Will do. How's the wife?" Kaname easily asked, walking beside Duran as they headed towards the custodian's office, located in an offshoot hallway in the center of the building.

"May's real good. She's with our daughter right now, actually-Domeka is having a boy today!" he announced, harrumphing in pride.

"Congratulations. Is this the first grandson?" Kaname asked, stopping at the doorway to the office. Duran continued inside, his almost finished sandwich sitting in its foil wrapper. It was then that Kaname quickly told Zero to meet him in his classroom after he went to his locker. Zero nodded, going on his way.

"Yessir! After two girls from our other son, Domeka is finally giving me a grandson!" he heard Duran say, though his voice began to fade. It took a few minutes to make his way to the stairs and up to the third floor-then the long walk across the building to the west end. The silence was somewhat creepy and somewhat peaceful, like the quietness of a graveyard-and the lockers were the headstones.

He finally arrived at his own locker, the bane of his existence. Unlike other schools that put senior lockers on the first floor, all assigned lockers were random, and he got stuck with one on the dusty left shoulder of the complex. In the mornings, getting to room 135 on the other side of the building was a long trek, indeed. However, it was nice that he didn't have to be near many of the other seniors. In fact, he only saw maybe ten other seniors in that part of the building.

The sound of the combination lock as he turned it was so loud in the hallway that he grimaced. When he reached the third number, the click was loud enough to make him jump, and he looked to his right down the long west wing hallway, as if expecting a ghost to come out and yell at him for being so loud on a Saturday. No one was there, though, and he opened the locker, which squeaked and squealed on its dusty hinges. The book was there, sitting on the bottom of his locker, and he pulled it out quickly, shutting the locker as gently as possible and spinning the lock to make sure that it reset itself.

The west stairs were right behind him, so he took those down to the second floor and quickly found Kaname's classroom, room 209. The light wasn't on inside, but he could see that the door was cracked. Opening it, he saw him inside, looking through a folder on his desk.

"Did you really leave something here?" Zero asked, shutting the door behind him. He heard a click, and knew that the door had automatically locked itself. Normally, teachers turned their keys all the way to leave the door unlocked, but he evidently hadn't. "Oops, sorry-the door locked," he said, turning aside to twist the lock open.

"Don't worry about it. Come look at this for a second..." he said. Zero turned back around, duly distracted, and walked to his desk, hearing his boots squeak on the newly swept floor.

Zero stood beside him behind his desk, most of which had been cleared of its usual clutter. Lying open was a file full of photos, and Zero instantly recognized them to be the ones they took at the Village.

"I entirely forgot about the pictures. I finally got them developed," he winced, having procrastinated on it for a couple of months now. "Anyway, I haven't looked through most of them, and was glancing at them while waiting for you. This one is...interesting," he said, pointing out one of the photographs.

He leaned in to take a closer look, and saw that it was a picture of one of the offices at St. Yomiuri. Zero couldn't see anything in particular, and asked Kaname what it was that looked interesting.

"Back corner-behind the desk," he said, pointing again. He squinted, not able to see too well since the overcast skies shone only half as much light. But suddenly he saw it: a faint outline of a short figure, standing calmly behind the desk. He reared back, suddenly freaked out, and backed a step away.

"Whoa...didn't mean to scare you," he chuckled, reaching back to grab his elbow.

"Oh my God! We got a picture of a ghost! Look!" he squeaked manly in excitement, having overcome her fear quickly.

"I know, I know," he said with a smile, leaning over the picture with him. Zero suddenly felt stupid, thinking that he had been lying earlier like he was born to it. It had been entirely unfair to even think it, and he suddenly felt like apologizing. Without a second thought, he let his apology tumble out with a nervous laugh,

"I had thought you were lying earlier...I mean, lied about having left something. I feel like a jerk now, though," he groaned. Zero could feel Kaname's muscles stiffen next to him, and internally grimaced. The few seconds of silence were extremely awkward, and his only alleviation was to pretend that he was looking at the other photos. "_Maybe I shouldn't have said anything…"_

"I..._have_ lied to you, though...well...a lie by omission," he confessed. Zero felt his heart stop for a second, and then turned around entirely, taken by surprise. "_He was going to tell him!"_ Zero knew it-he was going to tell him about his last girlfriend. Setting his backside on the edge of the desk, Zero looked up at his lover, who looked extremely uneasy, hands in his coat pockets. His eyes seemed troubled, their gaze pointed to the windows.

Zero wanted to touch him, to tell him that it was okay to tell him about whatever this termagant had done, but he couldn't make his hands move. He suddenly felt like he was intruding.

"K...Kana?" he said gently, trying to prod him into continuing. Kaname shook his head, though, about to back up a step.

"I-I'm sorry, I can't..." he said, looking at him. Kaname's unexpected shell was what galvanized Zero and he grabbed for the older man's hips, pulling him between his knees as he sat fully upon the desk.

"Tell me...please," Zero begged, needing to get all the way inside his lover's heart. "You can tell me anything." he whispered, keeping his hands on his lover's hips. Zero saw him take a hard swallow, and wondered what horrible thing this person had done...or maybe something horrible _Kaname_ had done.

"Her...her name was Sarah. I met her in a previous school I worked at before I came here," he began, hearing Zero gasp, no doubt surprised that Kaname didn't tell him he had word at another school. His eyes were intent on the buttons of Zero's coat as he continued. "She was the other science teacher...beautiful eyes," Zero remained completely silent, wanting to hear the story and hating that he was getting a little jealous of Kaname's memories of someone no longer in his life.

"We fell in love. The students saw it and it somehow made them work harder-made them respect us more. That's why I thought you were wrong when you said that I have been a good teacher...it was more that the students were...inspired?" He laughed, its tone dry and without mirth. "Yeah, right. I proposed to her, and she accepted, so we made plans to marry after the end of the school year. I even invited a couple students to the wedding, and though it was a little rainy that day, the ceremony looked wonderful." His voice became hard then, "We waited, my family, her family, all of our friends...we waited for two hours, calling around for her. I was worried sick that she had been in some accident because of the rain. I decided to drive home to see if she was having a case of cold feet. There, I found a half-empty apartment. Not only had she moved out while I was getting ready for the wedding, but she had also quit her job and flown out overseas. Left me a note saying she fell in love with some level C vampire...damnit," he swore, bringing one hand up to rub the back of his neck.

"I don't think I left the apartment for the entire two weeks I had off...when we were supposed to be, by then, doing our mating rituals. She mailed her engagement ring back to me-didn't even send a letter...I don't think they'd admit it, but her parents probably don't even know where she is now." His tone sounded so bitter, and Zero just wanted to kiss it away, to make the hurt better again. Zero's eyes began to itch and sting and a lump formed in his throat.

"Kami-sama...she even took my dog with her. She took everything I loved away from me...I just...I was so mad at her that my students suffered. I had twice the workload and half the patience. One year, I was the favorite teacher, and the next year, I didn't even receive any votes. She ruined my reputation there, and the principal told me that I had to find another job or shape up. The unsympathetic bastard told me to get over it. I, a pureblood, was left at the God-damned altar!" he ground out, his eyes squinting. Zero felt tears roll down his cheeks, and tried his hardest not to sob his sympathetic sorrow.

"Getting hired here...that was a life-saver. I moved out of that apartment close to my parent home, found new co-workers, new students...I needed a new life." His voice was gentling now, his mind having come upon friendlier memories. He finally looked at him, and an apology was immediately on his lips at the sight of Zero's tears.

"No, don't be sorry." Zero whispered, his own voice cracking. "Thank you for telling me," he sighed, sniffing a little. Kaname's fingers curved around his lover's cheek, and Zero leaned into his touch, feeling his thumb run across his lips. With his other hand, he pulled a tissue from the box sitting on his desk and handed it to him. Zero dabbed his eyes and wiped at his nose, laughing at his easily swayed emotions.

"Heh...here I am, the one listening to this, and _I'm_ crying, geez, how manly am I?" Zero sighed, wadding up the tissue in his fist, deposited it in his pocket, and looked up at Kaname again, having wiped away his tears.

"I suppose I could have said it with less anger," Kaname joked, setting his hands on Zero's shoulders. He laughed in response, forgetting where they were.

"Well...I'm glad you told me. I...feel like I know you better now," he affirmed, nodding his head. Kaname gently smirked at him, loving him more every passing day.

_-Downstairs-_

Duran was on his way back from supervising the workers who were mopping up the stripping liquid, hoping to find a message on the office's answering machine about his grandson. He looked to the side entrance out of habit, and what he saw made him pause. Then sighing and clucking his tongue, he went to close the door that the teacher and student had left ajar. "_People are so forgetful."_

_-Room 209-_

"Would a kiss make you feel better?" Kaname asked, realizing that they were in an intimate moment in a very...suggestive setting. Zero's mouth broke out a big smile, and he slid his arms up his chest, curling them around his neck as Kaname bent down to him. The heels of Zero's boots thudded against the wood panels of the desk as his entire body stretched upwards, and his soft gasp of surprise was swallowed by his lover's mouth, Kaname had pulled his body tightly against his. It forced Zero's legs farther apart as his rear slid toward the edge of the desk, and Kaname's entire torso was pressed fully against his own.

Zero clung to him for support since he was now bent slightly backwards. Kaname's cocksure tongue slid wetly into his mouth, rubbing and swirling against the surfaces between his parted lips. Zero raised his knees, pressing them against his lover's sides. A pressure on his chest heralded his roaming hand, but Zero still wore his heavy winter coat, and both he and his lover were frustrated by the lack of closeness. Zero felt Kaname's arm give and he carefully eased him down to lie upon his desk, breaking their kiss in the process.

He began to hurriedly unbutton Zero's coat with one hand while the other worked at his own coat buttons. The silver haired vampire might have been impressed with his hands' dexterity if he didn't suddenly remember where they were.

"Kana...we're in the _classroom_!" he worriedly whispered, as if there were students waiting to come in for the last class of the day.

"That makes it even better, ne?" he muttered, almost finished with his lover's coat, though his was taking longer since he wasn't looking at that hand.

"But...what if the janitors come looking for us?" His whisper was now frantic, and though his body was betraying him at the thought of having sex with Kaname on his desk, getting caught had to be the worst case scenario that immediately came to mind.

"Only Duran knows we're here...and he doesn't expect to see us leave, nor would he be able to tell if we did. They're all working on the first floor still..." he reasoned, much too logically for Zero's sake at the moment. His heart was pounding with arousal and worry, two contradicting forces.

"But what if we happen to see him on our way out? He'll notice that we've been up here for awhile!" he tried to counter, not resisting when Kaname's hands spread his coat open. He finished unbuttoning his own coat as he answered.

"I can just say that it took me awhile to find the folder I needed-teachers always have messy desks," he grinned, pushing Zero's white turtleneck up to his chin. He shivered in the still air of the classroom, his arousal burning with need.

"But...uhm...w-we don't have anything for lubrication!" he cried, seizing upon this last line of argument. His eyes widened in surprise, however, when he withdrew a small bottle of lubricant from his coat pocket, waving it for his benefit just as he had done with his wallet.

"You...you went upstairs to get that, not your wallet!" he declared, glaring. He was a bit too late now to sound smart though. Kaname smirked, setting it on the desk.

"I...I'm embarrassed doing it here," he meekly said, despite his body's unabashed response. He ignored him, however, and pushed his shirt out of the way, exposing him to his hungry eyes. Zero looked down at Kaname's body, wondering if it reacted as strongly as his was. The purebloods coat now hung open, and Zero could see his brown shirt and black pants. The pants weren't loose enough to conceal his lust, and he felt his heart skip a beat.

His warm hands touched him gently at first, messaging his chest as if they were fine porcelain. He then slowly kneaded them, his hips pressing forward to place more pressure on his nether areas.

This room was where he had sat for an hour each day, five days a week since August, listening to his science teacher, now his lover, as he lectured on the small planktons and the human body structure. His fellow seniors, most of whom deserved to be held back a grade, sat here with him. To now be the embarrassed, but willing recipient of Kaname's intimate attentions in this same room, on his desk, with the door locked and the lights off...he had never been so aroused in his life.

Gasping with sexual pleasure when he pinched and rolled the lower vampire's nipples between his thumbs and forefingers, Zero rolled his hips into him, feeling the heat of foreplay building in his lower abdomen. It only intensified when he leaned down and took one of his blushing tips into his hot mouth, sucking and licking the sensitive flesh. While the first hand kept the other nipple pert, the second hand touched the ankle of his boot, moving back up his leg and dragging his nails across his flesh.

"Oh, God," he sighed, opening his legs wide and propping his feet on the edge of the desk. Kaname's mouth transferred to the other rosy peak, and both hands revealed his legs, now adorned with only his new brown boots. Kaname hummed in approval, rubbing his lovers aching member through his dampened boxers, and Zero found himself unable to think of where to put his hands. The first place that they found was his lover's shoulders, and his name burst from his lips when his thumb slid across the especially sensitive head of his member.

"You've...never been this wet this fast," he groaned, his fingers never stopping. His lips took Zero's nipple again, but only for a few more seconds. It was becoming quickly obvious that they'd need to get down to the real act in a hurry. Zero, needing to do more with his hands lest he climax right then, carefully slid them down the purebloods chest. He avoided roaming outside of Kaname's coat, and reached down to find the hem of his shirt. Pulling it up the same way he had pulled up his sweater, Zero touched his incredibly hot skin, taking a few seconds to find his nipples and mimic his earlier touch. Kaname raised his head then, looking into his foggy lilac eyes.

"Take me," he whispered, unable to look at the pureblood when he fervently begged for his body to be inside of his. Instead, Zero closed his eyes to his sizzling gaze, his thumbs rubbing circles against his chest. "K-K…Kuran-sama...take me!" he cried out, testing out this forbidden fantasy that was actually all too real. Hearing his professional title in this setting made his jaw clench as he hardened to an incredible rigidity.

He sensed Zero's intentions, and decided to play along, having dreamed of being between his legs while he lay on his classroom desk. Kaname leaned up, his shirt sitting high on his chest, and grabbed for the waist of his lovers boxers. Then taking a step back, he let him close his knees so that he could pull his boxers down. He only waited long enough to get them off one of his legs before pushing his younger lover's thighs open again.

"Kiryu-kun," he sighed, pressing one finger inside of him. Zero weakly cried out, imagining that this was for the first time, that it was an hour after school, and that this was some sinful payment for a better grade or an easier make-up test. The fantasy could go anywhere, and it was so powerful that he felt like the fire in his body would consume him. Kaname's finger moved in and out, sliding easily through the slick tunnel that told of his excitement.

"Mmm, Kuran-that feels so nice," he sighed, his hands now holding his own legs open for him. When Kaname inserted a second finger, he cooed like a naïve freshman, biting on his lower lip.

"Do you like this, Kiryu kun?" he groaned out, dying to open his slacks. They were so tight now that it was becoming painful, and he merely waited to hear his agreement before ripping open his zipper.

"Yes...I like it!" he moaned. Removing his fingers, Kaname hurriedly whipped down his zipper, unbuttoning the top clasp and shoving his pants and boxer briefs halfway down his thighs. His surging member sprang free, and he groped for the lubricant, trying to calm his shaking hands. It seemed like forever until he was spreading the substance on his shaft, hissing as he forced himself to slow down.

"Ohh...please hurry, Kuran sama," he pleaded. "_Hurry..._" Kaname almost came right then. He grasped his hips, tugging him to the very edge of the table, and ignored the photos that fell to the floor. Grasping his shaft again, rubbing it gently, watching his face and putting his hips into position. Zero's legs came around his hips, and he felt his boots press against his backside, urging him to bury himself inside.

"Do you want this, Kiryu kun?" he asked, brushing the tip of his phallus against the twitching opening and watching his hands flutter in indecision as he brought them down between his thighs. Zero opened his eyes then, looking at the man who so wonderfully allowed him this dangerously real fantasy.

"Put it in...please put it in!" he begged, his eyes closing involuntarily. "Kuran sensei!" Kaname groaned, his loins burning to have him. He thumbed down his own erection, working it between the cheeks of his lover's body, and then pressed forward, surprised when it was difficult to slide very far inside. Zero was so worked up that all of his muscles were tense.

"Relax, Kiryu kun...let me in," he cajoled, leaning over him. "Let me in..." He took hold of one of his nipples, squeezing it as he loosened his inner muscles. Kaname felt the way open up, and surged forward. Zero gasped in shock, his eyebrows scrunched.

"_Uhhnn!_ You're so deep," Zero gasped shakily, "Ohhh, Kuran sensei, it's so deep!" he moaned, now immersed in their fantasy. One of his hands gripped the edge of the desk beneath his rear end, and the other was pressed to the base of his stomach, trying to stay grounded. Kaname felt his coat slip down his arms before it caught on his elbows, and he pressed his palms to the surface of the desk, gasping for air.

He pulled back and then drove forward again, rocking Zero back and forth. Over and over again, he pumped himself inside him. Zero moaned and sighed, his pleasure very audible.

"That's it..._uhhh_, just like that. You're so small and tight right here, Kiryu kun," he breathed out, listening to the suction of his organ moving through his body's minimum lubricant.

"Yes..._yes_," Zero sobbed, jerking forward as he sought to meet his climax sooner. They were both so close, and it was a peak higher than any they had attained before. Kaname felt a twinge in his gut and grimaced, needing this release more than anything. His mouth fell open as the dam began to crack. Zero could feel it coming, too-a feeling so intense that it bordered on nausea. It tingled inside his stomach, moving down and making his gasp pleasurable.

"Cuming…ngh…Kiryu kun…so _tight." _he gasped out, beating his hips against him. Zero's back arched upward, and he took in a fast breath, wincing as the nauseous feeling became very intense, slowly turning over into a pleasure so pure that he let out a long, loud groan.

Zero practically screamed, groaning Kaname's name in sweet uncontrollable agony, not caring if the entire faculty stood outside that classroom. Kaname lost his voice at that point, frozen in ecstasy over him as his phallus spouted inside him like an over flowing fountain. They both panted for air, perspiring heavily as they continued to writhe against each other, not wanting to stop.

When they finally collapsed in happy exhaustion, Kaname was leaned over the desk, his head down between his arms. His lover was sprawled on his desk, his legs hanging limp over the side. The first to make any real movement was Zero, who sat up slowly, threading his hand in Kaname's hair and kissing his temple.

"Kana...that was...oh, that was something else," he sighed, kissing his temple again. Kaname raised his head, looking jubilant but tired. Zero locked his ankles behind his lover's knees, wrapping his arms around his neck, and kissed him in the afterglow of the best sex they had shared yet. Kaname could still feel little pulsations in his lovers body even then and nudged himself further inside, which produce a little riot of throbs. Gently ending the kiss, he rubbed his hand against Zero's back beneath the coat, his forehead touching his.

"I guess that cheered you up then, ne?"

_-In the Hallway with the creeper-_

He stood only a few feet from the doorway, his body leaning heavily on a set of lockers. Both hands were fisted in anger, hot tears streaming down his face.

"That slut...that-little slut," he furiously whispered. Pushing off the wall, he quietly walked away, altering his plans inside his head. _He's going to pay for throwing his virginity away...that fucking slut will pay!_

**_(It's a pretty seperating page break thingy!)_**

**A/N: Oh no! Who the heck is this creeper for crying out loud? He gives me the jeepers o.0'Okay seriously, I'm starting to sound like Velma from Scooby Doo -_-**

**Oh and what's this? There doing that sort of thing in a classroom? Gasp! This was a fast-ish update ne? Oh and the whole # thing…yeah….that's what it said a Japanese # would look like when I did research… what?... Don't judge me! *is justified* -_- goodnight. **

**^stallion14^**


	13. Kaname say's I'll always be here for you

**A/N: Thank everyone for your support! Oh and ****THREE MORE CHAPTERS LEFT!**** *gasp!* R&R**

**Summary: ****"Think of me between now and the next time we meet again. I want to be in your nightmares. I want to be the one you think of at all times, even when that teacher is lying between your legs," he spat. The hold on the back of Zero's head adjusted, changing to a grip that held a fistful of the black cloth bag and his silver hair.**

**"Sweet dreams," the first man said. Zero had barely any warning before his temple was slammed against the wall. If he weren't already seeing black, he surely was now.**

**Chapter: Kaname say's **_**I'll always be here for you**_

…_**.chapter13 start …..**_

_-Monday, Kross HS-_

It seemed that Monday came before Zero could blink is eyes. The rest of the weekend had gone by in a blur. After going to the drug store, he and Kaname had spent as much time together as possible, as if they had believed that Tuesday was the end of everything.

Zero wasn't sure if he was blissfully happy or woefully miserable. He _was_ certain that he had found the love of his life, but their unorthodox relationship was the worst barrier imaginable. Then there was the problem with him attending college, which would require moving away since neither Loyola nor Clark had a decent community college to speak of. His father's choice, Urabokusho University, had not yet sent a reply, but it, out of all the nearby universities, was the closet-about an hour away.

Now, sitting in his first class of the day, he wasn't even paying attention to the English teacher desperately trying to keep her students awake. The weather that day was miserable, just like Zero's mood. The sky threatened another snowstorm, but no precipitation had fallen-the wind just blew around the old snow, forming new drifts across sidewalks. The students were depressed that school wouldn't be cancelled, at least not at the moment, and the dreary weather had made everyone sleepy. Zero wasn't exactly sleepy, but he was distracted nonetheless. He was jotting down the occasional word on his notebook, but they weren't notes for class...they were notes on how to keep the love of his life in his life. He wrote down anything, even if it seemed outlandish.

English class was pretty much the same. The teacher listened to some skits that students were presenting, most of them on the comedic end of the spectrum. Zero's group gave her a small, boring part, but he cracked a little smile during their skit's punch line. The smile hadn't lasted long, though, because his brain kept reminding him of tomorrow's trial. His only consolation was that track practice was only an hour today, and even it would get cancelled if the weather turned for the worst.

He was grateful for his study hour to continue his brainstorming session. Study hour students were allowed to choose a designated area for their studying purposes: two classrooms, the cafeteria, or the library. He had always opted to use the library, especially since it had special meaning to his, and he needed the quiet atmosphere today.

The small number of students that did use the library always sat in the same spot, and Zero was no exception. His usual seat was at the table that he and Kaname had once used, a table on the balcony level. The only other student who used the same table, a boy from his history class, sat at the far end reading some sort of paperback, obviously not a textbook. He cracked open his notebook and resumed his lip chewing as he stared at the many useless options he had come up with. One had a bit of merit...but he had to work out the details first.

He wrote a few more bullet points of questions beneath the option, using up half an hour of his time, before he set down his pencil and laid his head on his notebook.

"_I think I'm getting a headache..."_

With his eyes closed, he recalled the events of last night. He and Kaname had planned a romantic evening, complete with a candle lit dinner and slow dancing. The dinner was a bit burnt since they had been lip locking in the kitchen instead of paying attention to the stove, but after eating, they had meandered to the back room of the house. The radio was tuned to the classical music station since the songs were easier to dance to. It had been a romantic distraction...

_The warm embrace, the soft conversation, and the open desire in his eyes..._

_He wasn't sure when reality stopped and the dream began, but he was suddenly aware of being in the purebloods arms. He knew he was dreaming, but didn't care, being like this was better than being in the real world._

_It was safe there...he felt loved, despite of everything that had happened-and could still happen. Kaname had become a part of his, like a new set of wings. He bolstered him, gave him strength, made him whole._

_They swayed there, standing barefoot on the carpet. No particular song played; it was just a beat-like hearts thrumming in unison. The unique and masculine scent of his Blue Moon cologne came to Zero. Kaname's arms tightened around his waist, firm, drawing his closer. His lips touched his forehead, and he pressed his cheek to his chest, feeling his heart swell._

_The beat began to sound familiar, steady, with a bit of syncopation. The soft touch of a piano's lullaby pleasantly penetrated the haze in his mind..._

_He felt something desperate come over him, like the panic of being lost...or losing something precious. He knew that if he held tighter, it somehow wouldn't help. And that was the worst of it-not being able to do anything..._

_He wanted to believe that, wanted it so badly. A lump grew inside his throat, filling it and making it hard for him to breathe properly. _

_He didn't mean to cry but there were steady tears sliding hotly down his face, and Kaname simply held him, comforting him..._

_He clung to Kaname, holding on as if a strong breeze would blow them apart. If he could have, he would have pulled himself into his soul..._

When his head jerked up, Zero looked at his watch and saw that twenty more minutes had passed. His head felt a bit clearer, but now his eyes were gritty. His heart, however, was pounding, and he wondered if any outward signs of his rather intense dream had shown. The student at the end of the table was gone, for which Zero was grateful.

There were only five more minutes before the bell, so he packed away the notebook and pencil he had been using. He was zipping the bag shut when some low whispers caught his ear. His head followed the sound, and he looked behind him.

No one stood there, and he couldn't see anyone standing behind the shelves from between the books, so he assumed it was his imagination. He zipped the bag shut, and was standing up to straighten his uniform when he heard the whispers again. Turning around with a little frown on his face, he looked to the rows of books sitting in a diagonal formation behind his. He and Kaname had shared their second kiss in the first row, but from here, he couldn't see anyone standing in that row.

However, he couldn't see down the other rows. The whispers continued, and he cautiously stepped forward, looking down the second row of books. He saw no one, so he snuck down the row, thinking that maybe someone was muttering to themselves near the back windows of the balcony level.

Again, everywhere he looked was vacant. He looked for a brief moment at the weather outside, seeing that it was finally snowing, and prayed that school would be cancelled soon. The whispers resumed, catching his attention, and he turned to look down the third aisle. The raspy sounds were getting a bit louder, and he could almost make out the words. Walking down the third aisle, he paused for a second, straining his ears, but the whispers had suddenly stopped. He was about to give up and just go back to his bag when a gloved hand heavily clamped down over his mouth. His head was roughly pulled back against the person's chest, and his other arm trapped his arms against his body. He knew immediately that it wasn't Kaname playing games-he would never be so rough.

He began to fight whoever was manhandling him, his mind racing in an attempt to explain why anyone would do this to him. The person holding him was completely unfazed by the futile punches he landed on his arms and sides. He tried to jerk his head so that his captures hand would fall away from his mouth, but he had his head pressed back against his chest, and he couldn't move his neck that much.

Zero jumped and kicked in an attempt to get his capture to let him go, and even tried lifting his feet to make him take all of his weight and pitch him backwards, but the man was ready for every trick and steadily walked them to the back aisle. There, it was darker since the shelves blocked the light from the windows, and the shelves ended at a wall rather than against the balcony railing, so his only exit was the way they had entered. There was a set of back stairs at the end of the aisle next to them, and they led to an emergency exit at the back of the building.

_An escape route..._

The bell rang then, signaling that the period was over, and he desperately hoped that it wouldn't be too long until Kaname came looking for him-they always had lunch together, and Kaname knew where he liked to spend his free hour.

He nearly had a panic attack when he realized that a second person had followed them, he could hear the person walking into the aisle. The hand left his mouth abruptly, and before he could gather a breath to give the guy a piece of his mind, a piece of duct tape was slapped over his mouth. He kicked and struggled even more, especially when a black cloth bag was pulled over his head. He managed to kick some books off of the shelf, making a bit of noise, and could only wish that someone would hear the clatter from downstairs.

The first person adjusted his hold, cursing and tightly gripping his elbows in his hands. It was almost enough to make the tendons in his elbows creak. The man then pushed Zero against the wall where the shelves ended. One hand let go of one of his elbows, only to push his head to the wall, forcing him to turn his cheek to it or else get a broken nose. The strangers other hand gripped Zero's wrist and twisted it up behind his back.

Pain shot through his elbow, and he gasped against the duct tape pulling at his lips, squeezing his eyes tightly to stop himself from crying out in pain.

"You should cry, you God damned whore," the second man said. He didn't recognize the voice at all. The first man pulled his wrist a tiny bit higher, and he gritted his teeth from the pain, not about to give the man the satisfaction he was looking for.

"My other boys had girlfriends, so it was no surprise that they were no longer as pure, but you...you were supposed to be my purest boy, the one I'd save my best performance for. And now you're just like them!" he whispered violently.

"But I'm upping the stakes, something to make killing you harder so that you'll appreciate how much I put into my work when I finally get my hands on you in a place where no one can help you. Now that you know I'm after you, the cops will guard you like a priceless diamond. It won't do them any good, though. Everyone makes mistakes...except me," he said, after a pause. His voice was so close to Zero's ear, and his tone was full of loathing.

He had never been this shocked in his life, his father's tantrums paled in comparison.

"Think of me between now and the next time we meet. I want to be in your nightmares. I want to be the one you think of at all times, even when that teacher is lying between your legs," he spat. The hold on the back of Zero's head adjusted, changing to a grip that held a fistful of the black cloth bag and his silver hair.

"Sweet dreams," the first man said. Zero had barely any warning before his temple was slammed against the wall. If Zero weren't already seeing black, he surely would have by then. His head swam, and he couldn't react as the first man abruptly let go of him. He slid to the floor, unable to catch himself or at least fall with more grace. He barely heard the two men retreating over the pounding of blood in his head.

"_Great, now I definitely have a headache."_

"Kiyru-kun?" a familiar voice called up from the library's ground floor. "Are you up there?" Zero would have called out to him if he weren't so dizzy. Kaname's voice was like the resounding chords of God's singing angels. He heard a set of hastened footsteps, Kaname's, and simply sat there against the wall, unable to move just yet.

"Zero!" he cried, rounding the corner of the last aisle. Zero didn't want to look pathetic and tried to move to let Kaname know that he at least was alive, but he was in too much pain. His head was pounding fiercely, and a trickle of something warm was dripping down over his left eyelid.

"_I almost forgot what it felt like to be beat to a black and blue pulp."_

"Iana-san! Call an ambulance!" Kaname yelled, and Zero heard the librarian give a flustered reply. He felt Kaname kneeling down next to him, and his hands gently turned Zero's towards him. Kaname's chest was a very comforting place to lean on, and when he felt the sack removed from his head, he opened his eyes.

The look of concern on Kaname's face only made Zero want to comfort him. There was no gentle way to remove the tape, so he took it off with one pull, careful not to touch the rest of the non-sticky side of the tape, for evidence sake. He hugged his younger lover in his arms, letting out a strangled sob.

"What happened?" Kaname asked, voice rough with emotion.

"Two men...one said he was going to hurt me next time," Zero muttered, not realizing that he didn't make a lot of sense. Kaname wanted to point out that they had already hurt him, making him practically livid, but at the moment, he was more worried about getting Zero medical attention.

"You're okay now," he said instead. "Help is on the way."

"Help is already here," Zero replied, looking at Kaname with relief. "Thank you..." Kaname's eyes softened, looking down at him.

"I'll always be here for you."

_-Late Afternoon-_

The attack on Zero was considered to be more than enough reason to cancel school that day, especially on top of the snowstorm that began around lunchtime. No one besides the Chairmen and the police and medical team had been allowed to see Zero. His father had been called at home, but the storm was getting so bad that he had to call the school halfway there to say that his car was stuck in a ditch. A police car agreed to find him and take him to Kaname's home, which was much closer to the school. Zero had insisted on going there rather than the hospital.

The police officer who questioned him was the new sheriff, Toga Yagari. A female paramedic with cool, gentle hands patched up the bruised cut on Zero's left temple while Toga questioned him, and though he initially disliked being questioned by him, he was understanding and easy-going, the exact opposite of the evangelist that he saw on TV.

"Did you hear them say anything after they hit your head against the wall?" he asked, pen and paper in hand. Zero had seen him take a ton of notes, nearly filling up the last of the notepad he had been holding. Though he felt bad about it, he left out one part of his story-the fact that the two men knew he was the lover of his Anatomy teacher.

"All I heard was them running away," he answered. He looked over to Kaname, who was watching their exchange intently. Another detective had already questioned him, so he was sitting quietly at the opposite corner of the table. The questioning was being done on the bottom floor of the library, giving the forensics team room to search for and gather any evidence they could.

"So the second man did almost all of the talking?"

"Yes, except for the last couple of words. The first man was the one who said, 'sweet dreams,'" he clarified, whispering his thanks to the paramedic who had just finished cleaning and bandaging his temple.

"Okay, Kiryu-kun, I'm going to have a few words with the other two detectives, and we'll come up with what to do next," he assured him, giving Kaname a dirty look before standing up. Zero nodded, watching him go up the stairs to the second level, not noticing the tension between his lover and the detective with one eye. Kaname was almost instantly next to him after the other man left, and though he didn't dare show much affection in front of so many people, he gripped his hand briefly beneath the table.

"You must have been so frightened," he said, his voice low enough for his ears only.

"I was mostly confused the entire time...I didn't really get scared, just shocked."

"Why would they be stalking you in particular? ...And they had said you had been the purest boy, but that you weren't pure anymore."

"They know about the two of us," he whispered, his eyes locked onto Kaname's. "They know that you and I are lovers."

"...And you didn't tell the police that..."

"Of course not..." His eyes drifted down to the table where a cup of lukewarm water sat.

"Then they must know that you live with me. Why don't you go back to live with your father? I can't stand the thought of you getting hurt again," he confessed. He knew he could protect Zero himself but he was just so afraid at the moment, scared that the men would come to his house when he wasn't there and Zero was alone. Heck, he was afraid to go into the shower without Zero in fear of the men making a surprised visit.

"I feel safe in your house," Zero stated, looking at Kaname again with a voice that was becoming more emphatic. "I don't know if it's my familiarity with that house, or if it's just that you are there, but I feel safe in that house."

Kaname sat there awhile, simply looking at him without expression. He then blinked a few times, looking down once before meeting his eyes again.

"Okay. You just have to convince your father when we get there," he said. Zero nodded, relief bursting through his chest.

Kaname was relieved as well. He knew to suggest his father's house if he wanted him to be safe, but he also wanted to be with him at all times, and sending him off to live with his father, bypassing the trial entirely, meant that he couldn't personally ensure his safety. But Zero had just opted to stay in his house, and his heart was much more at ease than it had been a few moments ago.

Knowing someone was after his mate made him want to put his fist through that someone's face. Though his first reaction to finding the pervert was a gut-wrenching fear that had him racing towards him, his second reaction was to kill whoever had terrorized his poor defenses Zero.

Detective Yagari returned then, followed by two other detectives that looked to be at least five years older than the sheriff. It made Zero wonder just how old he was.

"Kiyru-kun, we feel its best that, despite the estrangement between you and your father, you would be much safer with him at his house. The social worker that just arrived is willing to waive the restraining order in light of the events and your father's successful therapy sess-" he said, but he was interrupted by Zero's ardent voice.

"I wish to stay in Kuran sensei's house. I feel safer there."

"K...Kiryu-kun, I understand that you're feeling upset right now, but that's no reason to-"

"I said that I wanted to stay there, and I mean it," Zero stated, voice firm. "My father can stay there with us if he wants, and if Kura sensei agrees, but I'm not leaving that house to stay anywhere else." He saw the head detective set his jaws firm, and he then turned to the other detectives behind him. They whispered for a few seconds, discussing this new development.

"Okay," Yagari agreed, turning back around. "Detectives Stray and Black will escort you and Kuran back to his residence, along with three of our officers. They'll secure the area and set up watch.

"Now...we highly suspect these two assailants to be the serial killers that have been going after young males in this area for the past decade. Knowing that the killings were done by two men makes it easier to understand how they've been able to evade the law for so long, but it makes it more difficult to guard you, so beyond this concession to let you stay in Kuran sama's house, there can be no more compromises that would endanger your safety. We'll do everything in our power to stop these men before they can do anything more, though. You've got my word on that, Kid," Yagari declared, his sincerity obvious.

_-Kaname's Home, Early Evening-_

Zero's father embraced him as soon as he exited the police car. It was one of the hugs from his youth that had always held a warm place in his memories. He hauled Zero up into his brawny arms and swung his around once, hugging his tightly. Zero wanted to protest, knowing how strange this must look because he was a young man and was still getting swung around in his father's arms, but the look on his father's face was such a jumble of emotions too complicated for him to figure out that he decided to let it go for the mean time. He looked concerned, jubilant, and angry at the same time. The moisture in his eyes soon took over his expression, though, scrunching it up as he held fatherly tears.

"It's good to see you, my son." Anyone could hear the pride in the man's voice after he spoke, swaying gently from side to side as his feet hung suspended in the air.

Kaname watched from the driver's side of his car, barely able to see the exchange through the sheets of snow blowing around them. He and his car were in the garage, but Zero and his father were quickly being covered with wet snow. He looked to the social worker, standing to the side with a police officer, and was glad to see a smile on his face.

The police officers sent ahead had already declared the house clear and secure, so everyone, except Kaname, made their way inside. Kaname watched as a familiar sleek car pulled up beside him. The car window rolled down revealing a beaming blond.

"Good to see you again Kaname-sama!" Takuma grinned ear to ear at his pureblood leader. There was a blur of motion and the blond was suddenly in front of Kaname but at a respectful distance.

"Hello, it's good to see you too Takuma." Kaname inclined his head, giving a small smile at his child hood friend. He really did miss him. "So what brings you here so soon, I scarcely remember you informing me the trip would take at least a year?"

Takuma nodded his head frantically and brought up a small bundle that appeared to be dressed in a little silver coat.

"Rose missed Zero-kun a bundles! So I thought it was a good time she was safely returned to her rightful owner." Kaname carefully took Rose from the overly excited blond and thanked him again.

"Zero, as well as I, really appreciates you for showing Rose a great time. Were there any problems, is she in mid condition?" Kaname asked, beginning to sound worried.

"No problems at all!" Takuma gave him thumbs up, cooling the pureblood's nerves. "Well I got to head back now, Kaname-sama, Shiki is waiting for me. Who knows what he'll do to me this time if I make use miss another flight." Takuma blushed, getting a faraway look away his face before shaking his head to clear the daze. "Please take care Kaname-sama!" Kaname inclined his head as the blond got in the car. He watching as the dare devil sped down the road, do an incredible U- turn and speed back to the way he came from.

"Hmm…no wonder my cousin didn't want to come with him." Kaname shook his head and headed towards the house.

…**.**

**In Kaname's Penthouse **

The social worker and Zero's father had to finish up some paperwork that nullified the restraining order and stated that the charges were "settled out of court," negating the need for a trial. After the detectives and officers informed Zero, his father, and Kaname of how they would be taking shifts, everyone left except for one detective and one officer. They would patrol the perimeter of the house once an hour, keeping radio contact with the other person on duty and the stationhouse. The rest of the time, they would be patrolling the house, checking all doors and windows.

Kaname had whole-heartily agreed to have Zero's father stay there, after a sincere but awkward first conversation, so by the time his father returned with some clothes and food (including dog food) for the refrigerator, it was well past six, and the snowstorm was an hour away from becoming a blizzard.

Zero had taken the time while his father was gone to move his things from Kaname's bedroom to the spare bedroom that had a made-up bed and then reuniting with Rose, spending a few hours just playing with her. After dinner, which consisted of spaghetti and stilted conversation, Kaname did the dishes while Zero's father settled in on the couch in the back room. Zero was on the phone with Rose in his arms, talking to Ichiru.

"W-what? They're trying to _kill_ you?" he squeaked over the phone. Zero held the receiver a good two inches from his ear, trying to save his eardrum from damage.

"I just wanted to say that I wasn't the only guy on their list, by the way they said it. I want you to stay at home for a few days, please," Zero begged.

"Y-yeah, sure! My mom has forbid me from the leaving the house, anyway, including school. She's not only worried about what happened at the school today, but...she also found the letters from Kaito. So I've been grounded for the rest of the school year, and I'm under house arrest, she says, until the murderers are caught."

For once, Zero was glad that Shizuka was so protective.

"Oh, and I'm not supposed to be talking to you, but mother was in a panic and ran to the store for supplies before the storm gets to full force."

Zero wanted to say that the blizzard was already here, but thought better of it. It was best not to worry Ichiru much more than he already was.

"I see," Zero said. "But remember what I said Ichi…"

"Oh, no! My mom's home! You take care of yourself! I promise to stay home!" Zero was about to say good-bye, but there was a sudden click, indicating that Ichiru had hung up.

"Please be safe ototo-san..."

He set the receiver on its base and stared at Rose who yipped and licked his face with her tinny tongue.

He smiled at her and whispered a secret in her ear.

"_I may not be able to protect Ichiru but I will protect you with my life, promise."_

As if Rose understood his human words, she licked him again and wagged her tail in excitement.

Zero knew Ichiru was alright, after all, he has a pureblood protecting him, Zero smiled, and he has his own pureblood to protect him as well.

_-Late That Night-_

It was a bit past midnight. A new detective and officer had changed shifts with the first set, and the third officer had arrived around ten p.m. to help keep the watch overnight. One officer would patrol twice an hour, and the other two men would watch the front and back doors to the house.

His father was asleep on the couch downstairs, Kaname was in his room, and Zero and Rose was in the second bedroom. The blizzard was whistling around the house, hammering on the wood siding and shaking the windows. Zero's bed was comfortable enough, but his thoughts and worries kept him awake. He wished that he were in Kaname's bed, wrapped up safe and sound in his arms, sharing his body warmth. Zero gazed down at Rose who was curled up against him, too small to give off a large amount of natural warmth.

He sighed softly, and scratched the front of his chest. His thumb accidentally brushed one of his nipples, and he abruptly inhaled at the pleasure that stiffened his spine.

Moaning lightly with disbelief and frustration, he knew then that the only way he would sleep that night would be if Kaname soothed his sexual aches with his body. He would have attempted to sneak to Kaname's room, but he was probably asleep, and he didn't want to wake him up. Thinking of what he needed produced unbidden mental pictures, making the ache in his body even more pronounced.

Sitting up, Careful to avoid jolting Rose to much, he crept out of bead. He gently arranged the covers so that Rose had her own small circular bed and wouldn't fall off if she rolled.

Normally, he slept nude sometimes, but since there were four other men in the house and a female dog sharing his bed he decided against it. Silently, he padded to Kaname's bathroom.

There, he flipped on the light switch and blinked at the dim lighting, relieved that it was for vampire purposes and not human.

He washed his face and patted it dry. Looking at his reflection in the mirror, making sure it was nice and clean.

The door to the bathroom creaked softly as it opened, and Zero turned to the doorway in a rush of renewed adrenalin. Kaname poked his head in, his hair messy and his eyes blinking against the light. Zero's heart leapt and a smile rose to his lips.

"I thought I heard you moving around," he said, his voice a bit gravelly. He realized that he must have woken him up with all the noises he had been making, and his half-formed smile fell away.

"Sorry I woke you up." His voice sounded small, and he looked down at the towel in his hands.

"I wasn't asleep. You just gave me a good excuse to get up." Zero heard Kaname close the door behind him, and began to fold the towel to place it back on the rack next to the sink. He absent-mindedly noticed that the counter next to the sink needed to be dusted, but a wave of body warmth flowed over his neck, and he knew that Kaname stood less than a foot behind him.

His arms slid around his shoulders, and his cheek came down to rest against the side of Zero's face. Zero closed his eyes, standing in that circle of warmth with Kaname's wonderful scent filling his nostrils.

"I've wanted to do this all day," Kaname whispered, tightening his arms around his lover. "I wanted to show you how worried I was, and I was jealous that your father could show his affection so freely," he confessed. Zero was moved by the tone of his older lover's voice, so raw, and the words rushed out of Zero in an effort to console him.

"I knew...I knew you were worried. I saw it in your eyes every time you looked at Zero's voice broke, and his hands fluttered up to settle on his forearms.

"I love you, I love you, I love you," Kaname whispered, over and over again. Zero turned in his arms, sliding his hands up Kaname's chest until he could twine his arms around his neck. He swallowed Kaname's words as he fit his mouth over his, and softly moaned as his sensitive nipples brushed against Kaname's chest. Kaname's kiss was far from gentle, but it wasn't bruising, either. He firmly parted Zero's lips, repeatedly slanting his mouth over his and sliding his hot tongue into his sweet mouth.

Kaname pulled Zero closer to himself, and it wasn't long until the air sawed in and out of their lungs. A creak outside the door startled her, though, and Zero jerked away from him, thinking that it might be one of the officers, or worse, his father. Kaname looked to the door, and they stood there for an endless minute, waiting for another noise, but it quickly became apparent that the noise was the sound of the house groaning against the gales outside, plus they both couldn't sense anyone close by.

They sighed with relief at the same time. Zero looked up at his lover, wishing that they were alone in the house.

"We should probably go back to bed...alone," Kaname clarified, taking a hard swallow. Zero wanted to agree because being caught by his father would be epitome to Ichiru being caught by his mother, but his bout of insomnia wouldn't be cured with a kiss. In fact, the kiss had only inflamed his body's needs, stoking them into a roaring fire rapidly sizzling his skin.

"I can't fall asleep, though. I'm too worked up over what happened today so my body needs a release," Zero blushed softly as he explained.

"I think there's some artificial melatonin somewhere in here," Kaname said, avoiding the suggestion in Zero's words. He didn't want to get caught up in the moment and make so much noise that his lovers father came racing up the stairs and into the bathroom. He wasn't worried about his own skin, but he wanted to avoid putting Zero through any more difficulties with his father.

"Please...we can be fast and quiet, right?" Zero begged, sidling up to the pureblood. "I don't know why I need it after a day like today, but my body doesn't care what my mind is saying to it...so…please."

Kaname fisted his hands, trying to ignore the soft but hard body pressed against him. He whole-heartily agreed that the body sometimes doesn't listen to the mind's demands...because he was swiftly reaching full arousal. He knew Zero could feel his reaction, too, because he deliberately rubbed against it.

"I don't have any lube in here," he said, giving in but needing to extract himself from the boys manly wiles before he forgot about contraceptives entirely. He began to pull back a bit, but Zero only tightened his hold. "Love, I need to go to the bedroom."

"We don't need the damn lube." he stressed, too logical for Kaname's peace of mind. Zero tugged him forward, backing up towards the bathroom counter. It had a few small things sitting on it, but he pushed them to the back of the counter.

"Here," he pureblood said, turning back to him. Kaname was about to lift him to the counter, but Zero lowered himself to his knees, pulling down Kaname's boxer briefs as he went.

"No, wait," he hoarsely commanded, firmly bringing his needy lover back to his feet. The part that ached for the silver haired male now pointed at his stomach as if magnetized to him, and it bobbed ever so slightly in time to his heartbeat. Zero looked at him with a bit of hurt in his eyes, not sure what he did wrong.

"I don't need any fluffing, Zero...I'm hot for you now," he said, smirking at him. Zero relaxed almost imperceptibly. Kaname looked down at his lover's body, and almost moaned to see his pouting nipples poking against the material of his night shirt. "Take off your boxers for me," he instructed, his voice no longer joking.

Kaname watched Zero's smooth limbs as he wriggled out of his boxers, managing to do so without showing him a glimpse of anything more than the tops of his sleek thighs. When he had stepped out of his undergarments and kicked them a couple feet away, Kaname lovingly slid his hands beneath Zero's rear, rubbing his there for a few brief heartbeats before lifting the boys slight weight to the countertop behind him.

Kaname softly groaned his approval when he parted Zero's legs to make room for him, and he stepped between his spread thighs. Sliding his hands from his bare knees to the sweet flesh covered by the skirt of his night shirt, Kaname lowered his head to press a kiss to his soft lips.

Zero's heartbeat was out of control. All his mind could concentrate on was pleasing the pureblood and doing it as quietly as possible. Zero had to catch himself a couple of times already before a loud noise of pleasure could escape his throat. Kaname's kisses had never been more sensual, and his hands were gently teasing him beneath his long night shirt.

Needing a break before he completely lost it, Zero pulled back from their kiss, sucking in a refreshing breath of air. Through glazed eyes he looked at his older lover. His coffee cream hair was a bit ruffled, more than the usual bed head, and his cheeks were ever so slightly flushed.

"Kana," he sighed dreamily, savoring the warm hum in his veins. Zero's hands found Kaname's trim hips and firmly grasped onto them, pulling him closer to him so that his surging member was positioned a hand's breadth from his willing body. "Aah!" he cried out, more of a harsh whisper than a real cry. Kaname's fingers were pinching the sensitized nipples that begged for attention beneath his night shirt.

For some reason, at that moment, a horrible voice entered Zero's head: "_Think of me between now and the next time we meet. I want to be in your nightmares."_

"N-no...stop," he croaked, pushing Kaname's hands away.

"What? What's wrong?" he throatily asked. He took one step back, but one step only. The silver haired male further moistened just looking at his manly physique, but the man's voice was still in his head.

"That man today...he...he had said that he wanted me to think of him at all times, even when 'that teacher' is lying b-between my legs," he got out, his distress evident.

"Shh, shh...he said this to you today?" he asked, his voice hardening with anger.

"Yeah...I didn't want to remember that, but I did remember. I don't want him to get me," he whispered, grasping Kaname's forearms.

"He won't come near you if I have anything to say about it," Kaname promised, his voice deepening. "If he does despite my best efforts, I'll kill him before he can hurt you." He set his hands on his lover's shoulders, gripping them tightly.

"I don't want anyone to get hurt. I just want...I want you to...*sigh*I don't know what I want," he confessed, getting frustrated. It was a long minute before either of them spoke again.

"I'll distract you, if only for a few moments...I don't know how much longer I can last beyond that," Kaname joked, regaining his lost step. Zero looked up and felt his heartbeat quickening again, seeing that hot look in his lover's eyes. Kaname leaned down, and Zero was ready to catch his kiss, but he kept going, molding his lips over the cloth that covered the blushing tips of his nipple.

"Mm! K-ka-" he brokenly sighed. His knees automatically clamped against Kaname's sides, and he was forced to lean back to give him room. His lips and teeth were rough and yet gentle, walking a fine line between pleasure and pain. Every tug and nibble went straight to the nest of nerves at his thighs, making his legs tremble and his breath catch in his throat.

"As hard as a little pink pearl," Kaname mumbled into his hard chest. He moved onto the other nipple that begged to be teased just as cruelly and sweetly as the other. Rather than opening his eyes, his mouth routed for the tight bud of his nipple like a baby.

"Yes." Zero sighed, sliding his hand into Kaname's mussed hair, holding him to his chest. If possible, his other nipple tightened even more when the wet tip met open air. That part of his night shirt was now more see-through, matching the other nipple quite well. One of his arms held Zero up, forcing his back to arch, and the other arm ventured beneath the hem of his night shirt again. When he lifted his head, Zero lazily opened his eyes to look at him.

Kaname studied him for a long ten seconds, his eyes traveling over his form as if they were a ghostly set of hands outlining every curve and contour on his body. He could see the utter desire in Zero's eyes, feel it radiating from his body, and hear it in the shuddering breaths he took.

"Silver silk for hair," Kaname removed his arm from around Zero's waist and combed his fingers through the loose locks of his moon-colored hair. "White cream for skin...albeit mistreated by clumsy hands," he whispered, kissing the wound on Zero's forehead lightly enough to be barely a touch at all. "Skin studded with precious pink pearls that rise from a chest as hard but as soft and fragrant as roses." His free hand rolled a proud nipple between thumb and forefinger. Zero breathed in unsteadily, never as anxious for his lover's attentions as he was now. "And then, at the center, the rarest of swollen perfection." His thumb slipped down to the swollen member of Zero's sex, rubbing it slowly and sexuality.

"Kana..._take me_...oh, I need you!" he softly begged achingly.

"Ah, Kami...I can't wait anymore, either," he honestly agreed. Zero licked his bottom lip before holding it between his teeth, rolling back on his hips to receive the needy pureblood. Kaname held one of Zero's legs by the crook in his knee, and used the other hand to guide himself into his waiting body. He watched his Zero's face rather than the sight of him entering his body. The restraint and ecstasy that warred on his features was riveting. Kaname's naked sex forcefully squeezed into the tense muscles of his lover's aching entrance, slowly and as gently as he could.

"Ohh," Kaname breathed out. When he had pressed his entire length deep into his pliant flesh, Zero's head fell back and his hands grasped for his bare and broad shoulders.

"Wrap your legs around me." He locked Zero's ankles behind him and Zero encircled his neck with his arms. "I can feel you-really feel you...God, you feel so good," he gasped, bring Zero against him with his arms. Kaname began to move against him, pulling his hips back and swiftly driving them forward again.

"Yes..._yes_," Zero sighed, remembering to be quiet, but not remembering much else.

"Is this right? Is it what you wanted?" Kaname asked, his voice low and barely audible next to his ear. The room was so quiet in their efforts to keep the house unaware of their amorous activities that they could hear liquid sliding in and between the slap of skin on skin, hear it as clearly as their soft panting. They could even hear the faint whistle of the blizzard's winds.

Setting his chin against the crook of Kaname's neck and gripping a higher spot on his waist with his legs, he closed his eyes to the bathroom tile jerking in front of his vision.

"Damn… don't stop, Kana...I swear if you looked—uhn- at me long enough, I would come for you even then," he admitted, gasping and biting his lip harder as the precursory tremors shook through his grasping thighs.

After that, thinking was too difficult a task to accomplish. Kaname's hips beat against his fast enough to create a scalding friction that took Zero's breath away. Kaname could feel his length throbbing inside of the younger male even as his muscles began to squeeze involuntarily.

"Deeper," Zero demanded in a hoarse and shaky voice. Kaname obeyed, slowing his pace but now plunging his phallus in to the hilt. It was endless minutes as they writhed together on the bathroom counter, pounding and rubbing their hips into and against the other's.

When orgasm rose up like of wave of nausea that broke against Zero and turned over into wet, pleasurable throbs, he closed his throat against a loud, harsh cry and instead experienced the wonder in strained silence. Zero's mouth was open in a silent scream, and he was aware of his body freezing. Something wonderfully warm and thick spilled into him, and he listened to his ragged, choking breaths as continuous pulses of his cum soaked the both of their chest and stomachs.

Though they weren't completely conscious of it, their bodies were still rocking together and as tightly wound up in the other that for those few seconds, they were one person in sinful bliss.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o-0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o-0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o—0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

It was five minutes later that they were almost finished cleaning themselves up and replacing lost undergarments. They had also later found out that it was indeed Rose that had snuck into Kaname's bedroom and laid sprawled on the bed waiting for them. This completely embarrassed Zero.

They washed their hands, whispering affectionate things every once in a while. When it seemed that everything was back in order, and the only thing left was to return to bed alone, they found themselves hesitating.

"I've decided to tell my father about us when all of this is over," Zero said, testing the waters. Kaname didn't react at first, and then simply nodded.

"Do you want me there when you tell him?" It was his turn to nod.

"You'll be the steel in my spine, so to speak."

A vibrating pop from outside the house was enough to make both their heads snap in that direction. There was a shout from below, and then a second pop. They could hear the sound of a large object hitting the floor downstairs.

"Shit," Kaname cursed. He quickly padded to the door, flipping the light switch off. The room plunged into darkness, not that it affected the two vampires in the room. There was more shouting, and all Zero could hear of it was "backup! We need backup!" He heard Kaname doing something and then jumped when his hands found his shoulders. Kaname gentle shushed the younger male and led him to the linen closet. Pushing the silver haired boy down and into the large bottom shelf, Zero frowned and looked up at Kaname in confusion. There was a fast blur of motion and suddenly Rose was in his lap in a daze.

"Stay here. Make no noise at all, no matter what." He began to shut the door, but Zero's frantic whisper stopped him dead in his tracks.

"Where are you going? No, no, I'm coming with you!" He demanded, grasping for his hand, not really caring how desperate he sounded.

"No. the last thing I want is for you to get hurt again." seeing Zero about to open his mouth to protest Kaname bet him to it.

"Be brave like you always are. And promise me you'll stay here..._promise me_," The pureblood urged. Zero hesitated for a while, seeing the seriousness in Kaname's dark eyes with a hint of crimson. Zero was speechless for a while because he never seen Kaname's eyes that color until now.

Finally he sighed and promised him. Kaname gave a quick smile before closing the door. Zero then heard, very clearly, another shout downstairs and a third pop. Then the bathroom door opened and closed. After that, he didn't hear anything but Rose silently whimpering for six whole minutes...

**...**

**Oh my! This chapter was very interesting****. Who is the creeper and the accomplish? Just tell us already stallion! Aww poor Rose! *sobs***

**LOL ^_^ I had fun writing this chapter and yes I know it's beyond late...months late! I really did spill water all over my laptop and of course it died on me. Had to wait until it dried only to find out that a few keys on my keyboard didn't work! So I was like :O ! so yeah I had to buy a new keyboard so now it's like :( Plus I had to focus on my education. **

**Tell stallion-sama how you really feel about this chapter. Yes, you can even B**** at me about how angry you are that I took so long. Until then people!**

**Oh and I didn't really go over this chapter that much, kind of skimmed sooooo yeah… what? I wanted to get it out so you all could read! Don't judge me XP**

**^stallion14^**


	14. Zero say's, I'll love you even in death

**A/N****: FINALLY! LAST CHAPTER! LOL I know last time I said there was like 3 more chapter's left. I have no clue why I said that when I knew there was only one…that's what I get for staying up late to finish that chapter….so anyways I also know my chapter from, like 5-14 took forever to update. Sorry! Thank you everyone for staying with me this long XD But at last I can finally focus on one story. Please Enjoy the very last chapter of Bruised but Not Destroyed ! :D**

**IMPORTANT! I forgot to mention the story is also supernatural. So it should be hurt/comfort/romance/supernatural. I didn't think about it because there isn't really a lot of supernatural elements in the story but a few but it is very important!**

**CHAP SUMMARY****: ****What's wrong? Where are they?" Zero asked, extremely worried now. He heard footsteps outside the door, and quickly looked to see who was coming in. A man with a low ponytail poked his head in the door, obviously his doctor. He came in the room with that 'please-sit-down' look on his face. One more man followed him in, and Zero recognized him as being one of the other detectives that had come to the library yesterday.**

**"Kiryu-kun, we can fill you in on what happened if you'll just sit down please," his doctor asked. The detective looked at Zero with some trepidation, and he almost fainted right then and there. If either of them had died, he didn't know if he would be able to take it.**

**Oh and Fan-fiction keeps taking off my line breaks so sorry for that. **

**CHAPTER: ****Zero say's, I'll love you even in death **

**/**

Staying quiet seemed to be the hardest thing Zero ever had to do in his life. If he couldn't calm down, Rose would feel even more distressed and her crying would be audible from the hallway, and Zero couldn't have that. But though his mind screamed at him to be brave, like Kaname had asked, his body just wouldn't listen. Small whimpers kept escaping Rose despite Zero's best efforts to keep her calm. A draft of cold air hit him from beneath the crack in the linen closet door, and he shivered. Shushing another achy whimper that he could feel shacking Rose's frame, he decided to do something, take action. He was not a damsel in distress damnit!

He tried not to think of what was happening downstairs. He hadn't heard Kaname's voice, and though Zero was certain that at least one person had been shot, he couldn't tell who, and he couldn't tell if Kaname or his father were dead or not.

Though, Kaname is a pureblood. There is no way that someone could kill….

Another sudden gunshot made Zero jerk where he lay, and he couldn't stop the whimper that escaped Rose's throat. A man's harsh cry and some laughter brought sudden panic to Rose as she began to struggle and squirm in Zero's arms. There was a sudden loud shout, and Zero thought he recognized the voice, but he couldn't remember where. Two more pops signaled the blasts of a handgun, but it was another few seconds before something fell down. Another yell, and this time he recognized it as being the sheriff. The sickening feeling in his stomach lifted, and he waited with bated breath to hear Kaname say it was okay to come out.

"_Should I go look for Kaname?"_Zero asked himself in his head. Just as he was attempting to get up from the cramped closet floor he heard footsteps attempting to race quietly up the stairs, but the house was too quiet for anyone to make it upstairs without raising a squeaky ruckus. Zero wanted to call out to what he was certain was the sheriff, but Kaname had made him promise to stay there and be quiet, so he didn't give in to the urge.

Zero heard the bathroom door open, and the heavy, nervous breathing of someone whose adrenalin was up. He could relate because his heart was pounding anew, and it was gut-wrenching not to tell the sheriff that he was there, after all, he wasn't quite sure it was him.

"Kiryu-kun?" he heard. The voice was so similar to the sheriff's. It sounded a bit warped, though, and he wondered if the scary excitement had changed his voice. "Kiryu-kun, are you in here? It's Sheriff Yagari...you can come out now, but be quiet." he whispered. Zero sighed out of relief. Finally he could come out of the damn closet.

"In here, sheriff!" He softly called. Zero heard fumbling as if Yagari were having trouble finding the knob, and then the door opened. He was decked out in his sheriff uniform and brandishing about his firearm, but Zero couldn't see his face too well. He reached out to grab Yagari's hand with the other that wasn't cradling Rose against his chest. Yagari took hold of Zero wrist firmly and Zero had never been so relieved in his life.

Yagari yanked hard on his wrist, bringing him swiftly out of the closet. Zero was a little taken aback from the amount of force Yagari used on him, but didn't say anything of it. The bathroom was unbelievably cold, though. Zero could guess that several people had simply left the outside doors open, letting in the frigid blizzard air, but the temperature of the bathroom was enough to make him want to huddle into himself. When Zero was almost to his feet, he felt something cold and metal slapped onto his wrist, and heard the telltale clinks of handcuffs being applied. Now sorely confused, he narrowed his eyes at the sheriff.

"What's going on, sheriff?" He had put away his gun, and instead of answering him, Yagari forced him to turn around so that he could try to handcuff his other wrist behind his back but was having obvious complications with Rose still cradled to Zero's chest who was now growling in warning. Now breathless with dread, a horrible suspicion dawned upon him. "Sh-sheriff?"

"Shut up, you slut! If you make another sound, I'll blow your head off!" he snarled. Zero suspicions slammed into place, and a feeling of dread and betrayal lodged itself at the base of his throat.

"Oh, and by the way." Yagari smiled hauntingly. "I'm not Yagari." He breathed next to Zero's ear.

Zero looked into the man's face and with sudden smog of black smoke, a new man suddenly stood in Yagari's place. He smiled down at Zero, fangs fully extended.

Zero's eyes widen in confusion and hurt.

"Oh I know what you're thinking." He laughed without humor. "But I assure you that I'm not your precious _Kaname_." He practically spate the words in disgust, obvious disdain in his voice. His eyes glowed red as his transformation completed. "Hello, Zero. My name is Kuran Rido, welcome to the family." He laughed, this time louder and with purpose.

There was no mistaking it, though. It was the voice from yesterday. He wasn't sure if it was his true voice or if it was simply his angry voice, but it _was_ the voice of the man who had attacked him at school.

And he was a pureblooded vampire, a relative of Kaname's judging by the last name and the purebloods last statement.

Zero felt like throwing up.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o-0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o-0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o—0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"What the hell is wrong with you!" he gritted through his teeth.

Rido made a noise very similar to a growl and firmly pressed the working end of his handgun to Zero's temple.

"I said _shut up!_ He then did something that highly pissed zero off. Rido roughly grabbed Rose by the nape of her neck and threw her towards the tiled wall with amazing strength. Zero could only watch in horror as Rose collided with the wall letting out a heart wrenching yelp as she fell to the floor and stopped moving, head laying in an awkward position, obviously snapped out of place. It all seemed to have happened in slow motion and fast motion at the same time. First Rose was in his arms then the next she was being hurdled into solid stone and now….

Zero hissed in pure rage feeling the tears of anger and anguish well up behind his eyelids, making them sting.

"R…Rose." Zero voice came out in a sob-like whisper, suddenly feeling numb and alone. Rido made a disgusted noise and said something that sounded like "I hate mutes." and finally snapped Zero's other wrist into the hand cuffs.

"Walk in front of me. We're going downstairs," he said, his voice hard but no longer livid. Zero nodded stiffly even though the room was in almost complete darkness and walked forward, seeing the outline of the open bathroom door. He felt the gunpoint removed from his temple, and breathed a silent sigh of momentary relief. Once in the hallway, the light from the security lights in the backyard shown through the window at the top of the stairs, so the hallway was at least visible. Zero turned to walk toward the end of the hall where the stairs doubled back to go down, and the temperature dropped even more. Zero could see his breath in front of himself, and his feet were starting to feel numb. A full body shiver rose Goosebumps on his flesh.

Why the hell was it so cold?

A movement in the corner of the hallway near the top of the stairs caught his eye, and though the corner was empty, it looked like the air shimmered there, about four feet of it. Dismissing it as being a play of light and shadows, Zero looked at the floor and slowed down a bit in order to delay leaving the house. A tear fell down his cheek, feeling the loss of his best companion. He wanted to wipe it away, but his hands were cuffed behind his back. Something jabbed into his spine, and he gritted his teeth in slight pain.

"Move faster," demanded Rido in a very serious voice. Zero nodded again and sped up. Another second and he was rounding the balustrade at the side of the stairs. A yell from behind him made him jump, and he was shoved against the wall that ran parallel with the stairs. Without his hands to balance himself, he began to tip towards the stairs, and to save himself he let his legs collapse. His right knee fell to the first step, but he thankfully didn't fall any farther.

"I-Impossible..." the Rido said loudly but shakily. Zero tried to turn to look to his left and behind, but Rido began to shoot his gun at a small figure. The bullets landed solidly, and the popping sound made every muscle in Zero's body clench with panic.

"N-no! Get away! GET AWAY!" Rido screamed, seemingly unable to kill his target. Zero felt Rido's legs hit his side and jumped in surprise, but Rido tripped over him and landed hard on the stairs, rolling all the way to the bottom. Zero heard several snaps and cracks as bones in Rido's body broke, and finally a resounding thud as he hit the bottom. A man's shout from downstairs caught his attention briefly, but he was too distracted by a faint glowing light just over his left shoulder.

Panting, he didn't want to move, didn't want to see what had scared the Rido so badly, but he forced himself to look-forced himself to see what he knew had been standing in the corner and waiting for them. Lifting his head and looking to his left, he choked on an incoming breath of air.

Standing there, looking as if not a single bone in her body had broken since she was thrown into a wall, Rose yipped at him, wagging her tail in excitement. She looked beautiful but faded. Her eyes was no longer as vibrant, her fur a dark gray instead of black.

"Rose," Zero sighed, his eyes swimming with tears. He blinked rapidly to clear his vision, and his eyes never left the visage of his best friend. To see Rose looking so peaceful and untouched...Zero could not help the tears washing down his cheeks.

"I'm so sorry, Rose, I couldn't save you." The little ghost in front of him shook its head, still waging its tail, and Zero hoisted himself up so that he was no longer kneeling on two steps.

Suddenly there was a faint glowing from Rose that grew brighter until Rose collapsed and hovering over her stood…..the ghost from the picture they took at the village!

"It was you, wasn't it? All the times we thought there was a draft, all the times we thought the air conditioner was broken...you were here, somewhere in the house." This time the ghost nodded, her smile getting bigger. "You saved me, why?"

The ghost smile faded only a notch, and she reached forward, her little hand curving around Zero's cheek. When Zero didn't feel the touch of skin, he was a little sad to realize that the ghost girl couldn't actually touch him. It felt like ice was touching his face, though; she was that cold.

"Will Rose be okay now? Will you help her?" he asked, hoping that the girl knew what he meant. The ghost took her hand away, giving him a tight-lipped smile and nodding vigorously. Zero blinked anew at the onslaught of more tears and said, "I'll never forget you..." Zero knew how it must feel, to be dead and have no one remember you, to feel like you lived your whole life for nothing.

She took a step away and touched her finger to Rose's temple. Giving Zero a childish wave of farewell, she turned back to Rose, and Zero squinted his eyes at the blindingly bright light that blasted from Rose. When the light faded from behind his eyelids, he opened his eyes again, and wasn't surprised that his pupils hadn't needed to adjust to the darkness. Everything was as it had been before. The security light was shining, snow was falling, and no one stood in front of him but Rose, still lying limp. With effort, Zero crawled over to his beloved Rose, trying to see if she was alive, but as he finally got closer to almost touch her -

he fainted, lying limp with his right arm stretched out just one brush away from Rose...

_Thirsty..._

That was his first thought. The second was that his head hurt, and the third was that he had to go to the bathroom...now. Opening his eyes was a little difficult, but leaning up was even harder. It took two tries, but he sat up, noticing that he was wearing a hospital gown, and looked around the room sleepily. Clearly, he was in a hospital, but he wondered who else had been brought here...

His next thought was of Kaname, and he was instantly awake. His hasty plan was to rush to use the bathroom and then find a nurse. There weren't any IVs attached to him, so he simply took off the finger pulse monitor from his left index finger and swung his legs off of the bed. An alarm immediately went off, making him wince. Hopping to the bathroom since his right knee was in a bit of pain, he shut the door and quickly went about his business. Just as he was about to flush, someone rushed into the room, and the door banged heavily against the wall.

"Ki- Kiryu-kun?" a worried nurse asked. Ready to come out, Zero flushed the toilet and opened the door. There stood a young, pretty nurse, her face showing her relief. She had very sleek, long black hair, and Zero wondered idly if his own hair looked messy and wrangled.

"Where's my dad?" he asked worriedly. "And where's Kana-, I mean, Kuran sensei?" The nurse walked towards him with hands raised, obviously trying to get him to calm down.

"What's wrong? Where are they?" Zero asked, extremely worried now. He heard footsteps outside the door, and quickly looked to see who was coming in. A man with a low ponytail poked his head in the door, obviously his doctor. He came in the room with that 'please-sit-down' look on his face. One more man followed him in, and Zero recognized him as being one of the other detectives that had come to the library yesterday.

"Kiryu-kun, we can fill you in on what happened if you'll just sit down please," His doctor asked. The detective looked at him with some trepidation, and he almost fainted right then and there. If either of them had died, he didn't know if he would be able to take it.

"Why do I have to sit down? Is it bad news?" he asked even as the nurse steered him towards the hospital bed. Zero suddenly felt a draft on his back, and, reaching around to make sure that his bottom wasn't showing through the gap in the gown, he sat down on the bed, stealing glances at the detective.

The doctor nodded to the detective then, who sat down in a nearby chair, and the nurse left the room, closing the door behind her.

"Both Kuran Kaname and your father are alive, but your father is in fair condition after suffering a heart attack," his doctor began. Zero gasped, hand came up to cover his mouth. "It seems that your father's depression medication interfered with some allergy medicine he was taking, making his blood pressure shoot up, and some stupid pharmicist somewhere didn't catch it. The scare he experienced last night triggered the heart attack, but it was only mild, and once we get him on the right allergy regimen, he should be fine. We'll probably let him go in a couple days."

"And Kaname?" he choked out, not noticing the slight reaction from the detective.

"He was shot in the side, and the bullet nicked his left kidney," he began. Zero bit down on his lower lip. "Mind you this was no ordinary bullet that could easily kill a human." The doctor explained, confirming Zero's suspicion that this was indeed a Vampire/Hunter hospital not visible by ordinary humans. "Hunters have been eligibly working on trying to create a bullet that could kill a higher vampire as if they were just a mere human and apparently they have been successful in bringing down a powerful being."The doctor spoke with some remorse, not happy to have seen Lord Kuran in such a weakened condition.

Zero growled unknowingly at this information. How could that man do this to Kaname? His own family! Zero tightened his grip in the hospital blanket, feeling his palms and fingertips starting to itch and tingle oddly.

"We had to perform surgery a few hours ago to stop his internal bleeding, but if his vital signs come within the normal ranges in the next few hours, then we'll downgrade his condition to fair. I think the surgery was a success, though, so you don't have to worry. He'll be fine," the doctor concluded.

Zero needed to find Kaname.

"Kiryu-kun, I would like to ask you some questions," the detective asked. He turned his head to look at him.

"Okay," he answered. He brought a small pad out of his coat pocket and clicked the top of his ballpoint pen. The doctor left the room at this point, obviously having said all he needed to and wishing to avoid overhearing his story.

"First, if you could recount what happened between you and...Sheriff Yagari...with as much detail as possible, I'll get the last questions out of the way as soon as possible and let you get some rest." Zero nodded in response, taking a few seconds to gather his thoughts. He told him most of the truth...but he left out the ghost girl possessing Rose but told the whole story of -Yagari wasn't really Yagari because the real one must have been killed in order for Rido (a pureblooded vampire) to wear his skin in order to fool the Hunters and humans into letting him become sheriff and having easier access to the unsuspected victims- though Zero didn't think any Hunters of law enforcement officer would believe him but was Happily surprised that the detective nodded his head sharply with a remark saying, "Knew it was that son of a bitch leech." And quickly jotting things down in his little pocked pad.

"Did you catch him?" Zero asked after a minute of silence as the detective looked over his notes. After the question was asked Zero could see the detective's shoulders tense.

"No, the leech got away." The detective informed, not looking up from his notes, obviously feeling like he failed everyone. Zero sighed and began to scratch at his palms and fingertips distractedly.

"So...if he tripped on the upstairs carpet and fell down the stairs...why do you think four bullets from his gun are now lodged in the upstairs wall and floor?"

"I think he was just skittish and saw a shadow that scared him. I really can't say why he shot at the wall and floor. I wasn't about to stand up and look." Zero responded, faking a yawn in the hopes that he would take a hint and leave. The detective scratched the back of his head, and Zero could tell that his brain was having a hard time wrapping itself around his story. He was a good detective then, if he felt Zero's story didn't add up.

"Would it be alright if I visited tomorrow if I have more questions?" he asked, standing up. Zero nodded, reaching out to shake his hand. He came forward, taking Zero's fingers and noticing the marks on his wrists from the handcuffs that had been applied too tightly and the odd green color that could be seen just underneath the skin that stretched from underneath the long sleeve of the gown all the way to his fingertips. The detective's eyebrows scrunched together in confusion but said nothing of it because Zero didn't even seen to notice it or is used to it by now.

"I'm sorry for what Rido did to you and your father, Kiryu-kun...the entire Hunter department is going to be shocked by this whole thing," he said. Zero was a bit taken aback, not expecting him to apologize for Rido. It was his turn to ask a question.

"Where is Rose? My dog?" he asked, still holding the man's hand. His fingers tightened, confusion plying on his face.

" Uh, S-sorry but we didn't see any animals in the house when we searched." Seeing Zero's fallen face the man rushed to add; "But with all the excitement that happened it's pretty likely your dog got skittish and ran off somewhere. Rose will come back to you." he answered with a gentle voice. Zero sighed. _What the hell is going on?_

"Did you find his accomplice?"

"We think that one of the downstairs officers shot and killed him. The accomplice was actually a fellow student of yours. I don't think you knew him personally, but he was in your Anatomy class. ...Glasses? Pretty tall?" he fished. An expression of shocked realization passed over Zero's face.

_The boy sitting at the table yesterday..._

"Apparently the pureblood Rido raised him even though he was human. When I looked up some records at the office early this morning, he was the boy who gave an account of the kidnapper during the first incident with Miki Ogai. I don't know how you can raise a child like that...but hopefully we'll find his motives for these crimes once we gain access to his home."

_Could it be the ghost girl who save my life?..._

Zero felt a full-body, mind-numbing shiver come over her, chilling him to the bone. To think that these two people were around him for so long, just watching him. He was certain that there was nothing creepier. The detective thought Zero was getting cold, so he fetched a hospital robe from the closet and brought it back, draping it around his shoulders.

"Are you alright, Kiyru kun?" he asked. "Do you need me to get the nurse?"

"N-no...would you take me to my dad instead? I want to see him," he requested, suddenly needing to see his face desperately. The detective helped him stand up and then escorted him to a different ward. The detective peeked his head in the door first, but then opened it and waved Zero to go inside.

"I'll be leaving now, but I'll perhaps see you tomorrow, Kiyru kun. Have a good day," he said, zipping up his coat. Zero nodded, sliding his arms into the hospital robe. Turning to the bed, the door closed behind Zero, and he walked towards his father.

His father looked peaceful enough. His hand sported an IV, and he seemed a bit too pale, but he was otherwise healthy-looking. Zero pulled up a chair, sitting close, and took his free hand. He didn't stir in reaction to his son's touch, but that was okay. He needed to sleep. His hand was warm, he was breathing on his own, and he was going to survive.

Looking out the window on the other side of his bed, Zero saw that the blizzard was still in full force, but the people of the Town were going to work like any other day. Not even the snow was stopping many people today. Tonight, though, when they were watching TV over dinner with their families, the news would report the events of last night with as much sensationalism as they could get away with, and he would not be able to live with Kaname anymore without questions being raised by reporters that would undoubtedly follow him.

It was time to move home. But at least Zero was moving back in with the father he remembered from his youth when his mother had still been alive.

"Kiyru kun?" the nurse called.

"The doctor asked me to tell you that Kuran sama's condition was downgraded to fair. He thought you might like to know," she said, folding her hands in front of her. The relief on Zero's face made the nurse smile. "Would you like to come visit him?" she asked, motioning her hand towards the hallway. Zero's heart leapt at that, and he stood quickly, patting his father's hand as he walked towards the nurse.

The nurse closed the door behind her, and they walked down the hall to another room in the same ward. The doctor was still in there, along with another nurse. The doctor turned and gave him an encouraging smile, motioning him towards a chair next to the bed. Zero saw that Kaname was very pale, even for a vampire but sleeping peacefully enough.

"Thank you for fetching Kiryu kun, nurse," The Dr said, picking up a chart from the foot of the bed and walking towards the door past Zero. "By the way, what are you doing after your shift tonight...?" he asked, his voice fading as he and the nurse left the room. Zero sat down, looking at Kaname's sleeping face. Zero had seen it so many times before, but his complexion had been so much healthier before. Looking up at the nurse who just walked in, he gasped in surprise to see that it was Shizuka, whom he had only met once or twice over the past months.

"Zero kun?" she asked, a bit incredulous. Zero really had never asked where Ichiru's mother had worked, but her strange hours made sense now. The nurse looked at him, blinking in surprise, and her mouth fell open.

Shizuka leaned over the bed as if to get a closer look at him. "My Ichiru's Zero?"

Zero nodded, an annoyed and oddly humorous expression catching his face. Zero up to shake Shizuka hand. The nurse shook her head slightly, as if she were regretting something.

"I'm sorry to being seeing you under these circumstances, Zero. I know you and I met a couple of times when you stopped by and you don't really remember me before I took your baby brother away from you, but I really want you to know how sorry I am. I know what's it's like to have something precious being taken away from you by another." She paused then, looking Zero over. "I'm glad to see that you're relatively unharmed. You must be one of the groups of people brought in early this morning then?" she asked.

"Yeah...turns out that a pureblood was after me, and they got into the house last night," Zero explained, leaving out quite a few details. Shizuka nodded, looking a bit agitated all of a sudden.

"Is Kaname sama...uhm...a friend?" she asked, motioning towards Kaname and sounding unsure of their relationship. Zero looked to his softly breathing visage, and nodded.

"The same way that Kaito is Ichiru's friend." Zero said, giving a not-so-subtle hint to the nurse. Shizuka gasped audibly, leaning up quite abruptly.

"But he's a pureblood Zero, and your sensei!" she admonished.

"I love him," Zero whispered, his jaw hardening with a touch of anger. Zero wondered if anyone would ever understand how love really worked. Shizuka heard the angry tone in Zero's voice and backed off a bit, not wanting to upset him.

"I...I just-don't understand," she said. "Ichiru is still upset over that...that-_Kaito__._" She sighed, leaning her hip against the foot of the bed. "I hear him crying sometimes and all I can think is how I don't understand him. I mean, Kaito is a vampire hunter."

"You said you know what it feels like to have someone precious taken away from you, right? Zero said quietly.

"Zero kun"-

"Why was this person taken away from you Shizuka?" Zero asked still holding on to Kaname's non responsive hand. It was silent for only a few more minutes until Shizuka finally let out a shaky sigh.

"He was an ordinary human but I loved him so much and he loved me too!" Shizuka was quick to defend, probable from past experience. "But one day the hunters found out I had a human "pet"." She spat the words in distaste, offended that they would think so lowly of her. "But that wasn't the case and in their attempt to kill me for breaking some law that I did not committee, they shot him, killed my only true lover because he was trying to protect me from them." Shizuka sigh sadly in memory. I just don't want the same to happen to Ichiru or you. No one deserves to go through something like that."

"Then you should understand it would hurt worst to be separated from the one you love the most. We can handle our own choices, Shizuka. You did, didn't you? You dared to love someone different then you and got punished for it but yet your still san, aren't you?

"After my trial they found me not guilty and let me go. It still hurts to think about him."

"But you're a strong person and so are Ichiru and myself. Please allow him to make mistakes because if he doesn't then life would be pointless."

"But I'm scared for him." Shizuka sobbed, hiding her face, looking to the floor.

"You're just scared of letting him go. It's like a band aid, the sooner you pull it off the quicker it will stop stinging."

"That's just like you Zero kun." Shizuka said. But Zero could hear a smile in her voice so he knew she understood.

"I'll come back to check on him in an hour."

Zero nodded, waiting until she closed the door to turn back towards Kaname. Zero knew Kaname probably wouldn't be awake for a while yet, but he sincerely wished for him to wake up. Zero wanted it so badly that his eyes stung. Leaning down, he pressed his cheek to the back of his lover's hand, consoling himself with his warmth.

When Zero woke up again, someone was petting his hair, and he lifted his head. Kaname had opened his eyes, and was smiling at him. The relief that bloomed inside Zero's chest was so powerful that he was instantly in tears, and his eyebrows came together in sympathy. Kaname shushed him, cupping Zero's cheek in his hand. It wasn't enough for him, though. Zero quickly stood, jostling the chair, and gingerly set his hip next to Kaname's right side on the bed. Remembering to be careful, Zero leaned down, laying his upper torso over Kaname and wrapping his arms around his pureblood shoulders.

"It's okay," Kaname said in a scratchy voice. His free arm came around Zero, patting his back comfortingly. Zero sobbed against his neck, feeling stupid and ecstatic at the same time. Zero heard the door open, and the voice of Shizuka came,

"Now, Zero kun you don't want to hurt him even more, hugging him like that." he didn't want to let go of him though, but Shizuka was right. Leaning back up, he wiped at his eyes and sniffed a couple of times. Kaname smiled at his lover, wiping at his cute redden cheeks with his right hand. The other hand had an IV, so it was obvious that he didn't want to move it.

"Do you want to sit up, Kuran sama?" the nurse asked. He nodded, and Zero moved off the bed. The nurse brought out a control pad hanging from the back of the bed and pushed one of the buttons, bringing Kaname up to a sitting position. He winced once, but after a small adjustment, he was comfortable again. After handing him some water with two blood tablets inside, the nurse checked a few of his vitals before leaving again.

"What time is it?" he asked, clearing his throat a couple of times. He set the plastic water cup back on a nearby table.

"About one o'clock, I think..." Zero answered, standing close to the bed. His hands fidgeted restlessly, and he continuously shifted his weight from foot to foot. Kaname took pity on him and held open his right arm, inviting Zero back on the bed. Zero sighed gratefully, sliding down to him and holding Kaname close.

"I'm assuming that you're relatively uninjured then, if you're walking around?" Kaname asked, placing his chin on top of a silver head.

"I just have some bruises, that's all," Zero sighed, snuggling into him. He could hear the pureblood's heartbeat under his ear, and sighed with contentment.

"Don't you want to know what happened? How I got shot?" he asked.

"Not today. I'm just glad that you're alive."

"Then give me a kiss," he asked, nudging him. Zero laughed lightly and sat up, leaning forward to give him a gentle, chaste kiss on the lips.

The door opened then, and the nurse came in, followed by a new doctor who was directing an orderly to roll in a new patient to the neighboring bed in the room. Zero looked at the new patient. He was a young man with a long, black ponytail.

"Hey, that could be a relative of yours," he joked, focusing Kaname's attention on the young man. Another person came in, looking frustrated.

"God, I can't believe this! I ask you to shovel out the driveway so that I can pull out of the garage, and you stab yourself in the foot with the shovel!" the boy standing vented. The older man lying on the bed stiffened, crossing his arms.

"Tch...Shinobu, leave it to you to be more concerned about the driveway than my foot," the man said.

"When did I say that?" Shinobu screeched. "I'm complaining about your clumsiness, Ichigo, not the driveway!"

The argument went on for a while, with Zero and Kaname listening on with a bit of amusement. The nurse eventually pulled a curtain between their beds and asked that they be quiet, but they didn't really listen.

For the rest of the day, Zero alternating between visited with Kaname and his father, who eventually woke up around dinnertime. Zero sat with him for about two hours, explaining his side of the story of what happened last night, including the ghost, but saying that he didn't tell that to the police officer. His father, understandably, agreed to his adjusted story.

When Zero finally told his father of his relationship with Kaname, his hands became fists, and his heart monitor revealed an accelerated heartbeat, but he didn't say anything. Zero tried his best to put their relationship in the best light, saying that he was old enough to make his own decisions, but his father would no longer answer his questions.

After returning to visit him the next morning, his father acted as if nothing was wrong. Zero was tempted to ask about his change of heart, but decided to leave it alone as he rubbed at his tingly hands.

The detective returned that day as well to get his father's story and Kaname's story. It turned out that either the sheriff or his adoptive son had shot the officer patrolling outside, and then the son ran into the house to assault the front officer, who was shot in the chest, collapsing one of his lungs. After the back officer called for backup, he tried to protect Zero's father, who had woken up with a start in the back room. The first assailant had disappeared, though. It was to the rear officer's surprise when the sheriff ran inside, answering the "backup" call. He ran to the rear officer, only to shoot him point blank in the head.

The sight gave Zero's father a heart attack, and the sheriff left him there, thinking he was dying. Kaname had snuck downstairs then, sliding down the railing, and was trying to help the officer in front. He didn't venture far to find some cloth, using a towel left downstairs a couple of days previous. The human officer gave him a gun, though, telling him to protect himself rather than get shot trying to help someone already dying. Kaname had just taken the gun when the sheriff's son shot him in the back. He didn't expect it because he knew it was the sheriff but what he didn't know at the time was that the sheriff was the one doing the killing.

It had taken all of his strength to roll over and shoot the first assailant, the son, hitting him in the chest twice. Then Kaname fell unconscious, not hearing the sheriff's angry shout. After that, Zero's story took over. The second assailant, Sheriff, Rido, fell down the stairs.

When the story broke, no one was aware of the media attention at first since the press wasn't allowed inside the hospital. But they certainly were aware of it when Zero's father was released the day after the detective's second visit. Zero and his father were dogged practically the entire way home, but the press didn't come onto their property, especially since they didn't want to wait out in the snowy weather.

It wasn't very long before the media figured out that Zero and Kaname had been much more than student and teacher.

Surprisingly, though, Zero's father was much more supportive than he could have hoped for, and the police department even thanked Kaname for patching up the wound on the front officer, who had managed to survive a very serious injury. However, Kross High did have to fire him for a serious breach in school policy.

The final relief came for Zero when Kaname called him up a day after his release from the hospital and told him that he found Rose cuddles deep within the bathroom closet and that he would take her to the vet and look after her for a while. Zero finally felt complete again.

The next six months were rough for Kaname, Zero, and his father, but Kaname did find a job as a substitute teacher in a different school that was close to home. Zero, having been admitted to Nippori, agreed to marry him, and they went house-hunting during his spring break. Zero's father came along, of course, wanting to give his approval first to any house they chose. Zero finally understood why his fingers were so tingly as Kaname explained to him that he consumed so much pureblood over the months and through all the recent excitement his powers were coming in to better help protect him in emergencies such as the one previous.

After the scandal died down, Kaname, Zero, and Rose moved into their house that summer, and Ichiru and his fiancé Kaito stopped by a couple of times. Kaname found a more permanent job as a professor with a local college. He taught a couple of normal science classes, plus a class on paranormal history, which the college asked for after reading the research paper that he and his husband had published a few months beforehand.

August rolled around before they knew it.

Kaname's curriculum schedule at the local college was a couple of days behind Nippori, so Zero's classes started up first. Since they didn't have a second car yet, he was supposed to drive Zero to the campus on his first day. Zero's first class was at 10:00am, but they still overslept, waking up at 9:30, and it was a mad rush to get out the door since it was twenty minutes to campus and Rose continued to yip in the background, excited with all the fast activity.

Once in the car and on the highway, they breathed a sigh of relief.

"Do you think we'll make it?" Zero asked, checking his watch. He looked to Kaname and laughed at his messy hair. Kaname had taken time to throw on pants and a shirt, but he hadn't done much else. Shocker.

"Yeah, we'll make it," he said, smiling as he ran his fingers through his hair.

Zero smiled, thinking of how much could change in a year. His perspective on the world had been drastically altered from that of an introverted anti-socialite. Now, he had friends, a loving father, and a wonderful husband. He pitied the boy that he had been a year ago, a boy who thought of himself as being unwanted and unnoticed.

But people _had_ been noticing him, and he had been too blind to see it. Ichiru had wanted to be his friend, and now, they still talked almost every night on the phone. The track coach had wanted him to join the team, and now he was set to try out for Nippori's team, packing several medals under his belt. And lastly, Kaname had wanted to save him, which he did in more ways than one. He had repaired his relationship with his father, had healed his heart with his love, and had protected him from those who would harm him.

"I love you," Zero said suddenly, pressing his lips together in a bit of embarrassment. He looked to his husband, who raised an eyebrow at him.

"I love you, too," Kaname said, falling into an easy smile.

Zero sighed, thinking to himself that he was being silly and sentimental. But it took him a long time to get to this point, really. When an answer is incredibly close, focusing on it can be hard, and putting it into words can be even harder. But what it boiled down to was that Kaname had been there for him-pushing him and supporting him. He had been in a place where Zero could learn to love again...he may be bruised but he was not destroyed.

**END**

**OMG The end. I can't believe I finished this story! I can't believe you-know-who turned out to be the Creeper. What! LOL. Aw poor Rose :( I did cry on that part because I'm such a baby.**

**In the end people found out about Kaname and Zero's scandalouse relationship. How do you feel about that? And what of the whole ghost thing o_O; LOL yes it was always going to happen since the beginning **

**Poor Yagari as well. Ha who all thought the creeper was him? Aw come on don't be shy tell me! ….because I thought the killer was going to be him too *_*? **

**So any confusion? The hospital was for both Hunters and Vampires because I said so and the hunters were working with humans as well but the humans didn't know they were hunters and didn't know about the vampires either. **

**Wondering why Kaname (A pureblood) had to share rooms rather then have his own? Because it's a hospital and everyone should be treated eqjualy no matter what damnit! Lol. **

**I just loved Rose thorugh the whole chapter even though she didn't have much screen time but she is just cute! Being found in a closed. So sad! **

**Okay part of the reason why it took me so long to update is because I have found the TV Show called Supernatural. Where has it been all my life! I'm in love with it. My next project will be on that with Dean/Castiel :D can't wait! I finished season 6 an decided it was time to finish my story o_O I feel bad for having you all wait this long. **

**Sorry!**

**I hope I covered everything because seriously I am not good a closing/ending stories so please please please let me know ;)**

**I want to thank everyone for pushing me to finish and sending my message saying "Finish your f***ing story! Lol kay no one actually said that but you get the idea. It actually halped me get off my butt and write a sectioin of the story almost ALMOST everyday. But I got it done! :P **

**It's been fun everyone and please read my other stories and leave reviews thank you peeps!**

**^stallion14^**


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